Written Answers Thursday 15 January 2009

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to provide new funds for agriculture in the future.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government's budgetary plans for agriculture for 2008-09 to 2010-11 were contained in the Spending Review 2007 published in November 2007. The document is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/13092240/1 .

  Future funding decisions will be taken in the light of the future budget situation and the Scottish Government's priorities.

Agriculture

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of farmland have been used for organic production in each year since 1999.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government do not collect comprehensive information relating to the number of hectares of farmland used for organic production. However, we do hold information on the number hectares which have been entered each year under the Organic Aid Scheme which is shown in the following table.

  Hectares Entered Under Organic Aid Scheme*

  

 Year
 


 1999
 117,052


 2000
 50,659


 2001
 85,193


 2002
 8,277


 2003
 1,204


 2004
 19,497


 2005
 16,581


 2006
 76,076


 2007
 0


 2008
 0



  Note: *The Organic Aid Scheme closed to new applications on 31 March 2006.

Agriculture

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers have ceased organic production in each year since 1999.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government do not collect comprehensive information relating to farmers who have ceased organic production. However, we do hold information on the number of farmers who have ceased participating in the Organic Aid Scheme each year and this is shown in the following table.

  

 Year
Organic Aid Scheme* Leavers


 1999
 8


 2000
 8


 2001
 10


 2002
 15


 2003
 31


 2004
 162


 2005
 115


 2006
 105


 2007
 57


 2008
 16



  Note: *The Organic Aid Scheme closed to new applications on 31 March 2006.

Agriculture

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many payments were made under the Organic Aid Scheme in each year between 2003 and 2007.

Richard Lochhead: The information requested is provided in the following table.

  

 Year
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007


 Number of Organic Aid Scheme* payments
 746
 606
 496
 546
 666



  Note: *The Organic Aid Scheme closed to new applications on 31 March 2006.

Agriculture

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total amount paid out under the Organic Aid Scheme was in each year between 2003 and 2007.

Richard Lochhead: The information requested is provided in the following table.

  

 Year
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007


 Organic Aid Scheme* expenditure
£5.7 million
£3.5 million
£2.5 million
£3.0 million
£5.1 million



  Note: *The Organic Aid Scheme closed to new applications on 31 March 2006.

Alcohol Misuse

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to deal with retailers selling alcohol to under-18s.

Kenny MacAskill: We are currently implementing the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. This contains broad new powers to allow tough action to be taken against those who sell alcohol to children. The act comes fully into force on 1 September and we encourage licensing boards to use their new powers to crack down on rogue retailers.

  The law in respect of underage sales is also being enforced. Test purchasing is an early success story, helping the police in their efforts to stop underage sales. The number of reports to procurators fiscal in respect of the sale of alcohol to under 18s has also increased significantly from 252 reports in the six months to September 2007 to 394 reports in the six months to March 2008.

Alcohol Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it considers community alcohol partnerships can play in reducing alcohol-related harm and tackling antisocial behaviour.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises that community supported activity can play a valuable role in reducing alcohol-related harm and tackling antisocial behaviour. Community Alcohol Partnerships can bring the benefits of effective partnership working by all relevant partners to tackle issues such as underage drinking and a number of positive indicators appear to have resulted from initial schemes.

Ambulance Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the supplementary to question S3O-5098 by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 December 2008 ( Official Report c. 13120), where within the Scottish Ambulance Service the 30 additional frontline accident and emergency crews have been deployed and in which emergency medical dispatch centres the 10 additional posts have been created.

Nicola Sturgeon: The 30 additional frontline accident and emergency crews have been deployed to the following areas; 10 in East Central Division, 10 in South West Division and 10 in South East Division.

  The 10 additional posts in the Emergency Medical Dispatch Centres comprise five posts in Inverness and five in Glasgow.

Animals (Scotland) Act 1987

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dog-bite incidents have resulted in claims for compensation under the Animals (Scotland) Act 1987 in each of the last five years.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many claims for compensation resulting from dog-bite incidents, made under the Animals (Scotland) Act 1987, have been upheld in each of the last five years.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

Antisocial Behaviour

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in what form the performance of tackling antisocial behaviour will be reported in light of the ending of ring fencing.

Fergus Ewing: This issue is being considered as part of the review of national antisocial behaviour policy, the findings of which will be reported to Parliament in early 2009.

Banking

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions ministers have had with executives of Lloyds TSB following the approval by Lloyds TSB and HBOS shareholders of the proposed takeover and what its policy is on the takeover.

Jim Mather: Since the HBOS shareholders voted on 12 December in favour of the acquisition by Lloyds TSB, both the First Minister and John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth have spoken to senior executives of the new Lloyds Banking Group to offer continued assistance and support as the new merged organisation takes shape.

  Our policy has always been to strive to secure the best possible outcome for Scotland. Our preference throughout the takeover process has been that a continuing standalone Bank of Scotland would have best served the interests of Scotland’s businesses, bank depositors and customers. That has not prevailed. We remain, however, fully committed to helping Lloyds Banking Group realise the benefits of Scotland as a location of choice for them in terms of our highly skilled workforce, cost efficient property base and world class business infrastructure. That will also maximise jobs and decision making in the Scottish economy.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bird (a) carcasses and (b) baits have been sent to the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency for testing in each year since 1989 and which agencies or voluntary organisations have been principally responsible for sending such material for testing.

Michael Russell: The requested figures are contained in the following table:

  

 
 1989
 1990
 1991
 1992
 1993
 1994
 1995
 1996
 1997
 1998
 1999


 Birds
 141
 125
 104
 91
 76
 74
 73
 54
 40
 35
 38


 Bait
 10
 4
 10
 3
 4
 1
 3
 13
 2
 13
 6


 Total
 151
 129
 114
 94
 80
 75
 76
 67
 42
 48
 44



  

 
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007
 2008


 Birds
 78
 46
 59
 55
 74
 61
 142
 108
 88


 Bait
 11
 5
 10
 19
 18
 4
 20
 2
 6


 Total
 89
 51
 69
 74
 92
 65
 162
 110
 94



  The organisations principally responsible for submission of material were The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (31%) and Scottish Police Forces (29%). A significant number (19%) of submissions originated from the general public.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it envisages that Scottish National Heritage will have in any research work associated with the capture and translocation of sparrowhawks.

Michael Russell: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is working with the Scottish Government and the Scottish Homing Union to undertake a management trial to look at several techniques to manage any impacts of sparrowhawks on racing pigeons around pigeon lofts. In the context of this project SNH’s principal role is advising on finding a satisfactory solution to a conflict involving wildlife and private property. SNH will also oversee the project to ensure that the work is carried out to a satisfactory standard. SNH is a co-funder of the work.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Natural Heritage would be acting within its powers in any role it performs that seeks to assist the process of research involving the capture and translocation of sparrowhawks for a purpose designed to seek to protect racing pigeons.

Michael Russell: Yes. Scottish Natural Heritage is acting within its powers as statutory adviser to ministers on the natural heritage.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to secure by competitive tender the services of a person or persons to capture and translocate sparrowhawks in any research work that it is supporting and what the result was of any such exercise.

Michael Russell: An invitation to tender for the project was placed on the Scottish Government website on 3 November 2008. No bids were received.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that any persons employed to capture and translocate sparrowhawks are scientifically and technically qualified to carry out such a task.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is satisfied that the persons who will carry out the field work in the racing pigeons and sparrowhawk project are experienced in handling raptors. The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will have access to all field work aspects of the research project. Scottish Natural Heritage is a project partner.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how any research that it is supporting that involves the capture and translocation of sparrowhawks to test whether the reduced predation of racing pigeons would result fits with the provisions of the EU birds directive.

Michael Russell: Article 9 of the Conservation of Wild Birds Directive allows derogation from the requirements of Article 5 for, inter alia , the purpose of research.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the legal status is of racing pigeons.

Michael Russell: Racing pigeons are the private property of their owner.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it regards racing pigeons as naturally-occurring birds in the wild state in terms of the EU birds directive.

Michael Russell: No.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the protection of birds under the EU birds directive extends to specimens bred in captivity.

Michael Russell: The Conservation of Wild Birds Directive applies to all species of naturally occurring birds in the wild state in the European territory of member states. This definition would exclude birds bred in captivity.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the EU birds directive can extend protection against the capture, by any method, of sparrowhawks and whether any such protection is qualified in any way.

Michael Russell: The Conservation of Wild Birds Directive is implemented in Scots law by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Under Section 1 of this act it is an offence to kill, injure or take any wild bird. A licence may be issued under Section 16 of the act which would allow the capture of a wild bird for a variety of specified purposes.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be the full extent of the breeding season of the sparrowhawk.

Michael Russell: The sparrowhawk breeding season is considered to start when adult birds start displaying courtship behaviour. The breeding season is complete when any juvenile birds are fully fledged.

Birds

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to deal with the damaging effects to crofting and the rural economy caused by the rise in numbers of geese in North Uist.

Michael Russell: In 2008 the Uist Local Goose Management Scheme increased goose scaring effort on the machair to protect the cereal seed crop. Goose-scarers employed by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have shot approximately 1,500 geese per annum over the last two years in addition to geese shot by tenants. The scheme is reviewed annually by the National Goose Management Review Group.

  SNH contracted research is currently being undertaken to provide a projection of the population of the west coast greylag goose population which will help in formulating future management measures.

Cancer

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Better Together programme will specifically measure the experiences of patients with secondary breast cancer.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Better Together programme will provide NHS boards with the tools for staff to capture experience across all aspects of service delivery and care and to use that knowledge to improve services and how we deliver care. Currently, supported through the programme, there are three pilot sites with close links to the regional cancer networks looking at improving the experience of cancer patients.

Central Heating Programme

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the average waiting time is between order and execution of measures to improve energy efficiency through (a) cavity and (b) roof insulation in schemes supported by public funds.

Stewart Maxwell: The managing agent has indicated that, in the private sector, the average waiting time for the installation of Warm Deal measures is currently around 80 days.

  Information is held for the scheme as a whole, not for the installation of various individual measures.

  The Scottish Government also funds Warm Deal measures in the public sector through local authorities and housing associations. However, local authorities and housing associations are not required to provide information on waiting times as part of the scheme.

  The Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) programme provides insulation measures in domestic properties to reduce energy consumption. The scheme is designed to fulfil an obligation imposed on the gas and electricity suppliers and is funded by energy customers. No information is held by the Scottish Government on average waiting times for the CERT scheme.

Children in Care

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the National Residential Child Care Initiative will report.

Adam Ingram: The National Residential Child Care Initiative aims to report to ministers and to COSLA in autumn 2009.

Child Poverty

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons interim targets have not been set towards the shared commitment to ending child poverty by 2020 in Achieving Our Potential, the Scottish Government’s anti-poverty framework.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18764 on 7 January 2009.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Climate Change

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when Forestry Commission Scotland’s Climate Change Action Plan is to be published.

Michael Russell: Forestry Commission Scotland intends to publish its Climate Change Action Plan in January 2009.

Courts

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by the Scottish Courts Service towards full cost recovery in relation to summary applications made to sheriff courts.

Kenny MacAskill: As a result of the new fees structure implemented in August 2008, the overall level of cost recovery for Sheriff Court civil business is projected to rise to 78% by 31 March 2009. The Scottish Court Service does not monitor the level of cost recovery attributable to summary applications

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that providing communities with more information about localised crime patterns and hotspots is beneficial to (a) local communities and (b) police forces.

Fergus Ewing: How best to engage and communicate with local communities on localised crime is principally a matter for Scottish police forces, police boards and their community safety partners, supported by central government.

  We are providing this support in a number of ways, including working with key stakeholders to produce a community policing engagement model which clearly sets out the role and objectives of policing within communities.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make available to communities in Scotland neighbourhood crime maps, as introduced in England and Wales by the Home Office on 6 January 2009.

Kenny MacAskill: We have no immediate plans to replicate the Home Office scheme in Scotland, but will monitor the impact of this innovative approach to public engagement with interest.

  The Scottish Government Justice and Communities Analytical Services Division has previously worked with Scottish forces on the development of the crime domain in the 2006 Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation which, through the Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics website, maps crime levels down to data zone level (geographical units containing between 500 and 1,500 residents), and are currently working with forces to update and enhance this for the 2009 Scottish Index.

  http://www.sns.gov.uk/default.aspx.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what work it is undertaking to improve public awareness of local crime-fighting activity.

Kenny MacAskill: The first annual report of the Scottish Policing Performance Framework, which was published on 8 December 2008, will help ensure that the public and other stakeholders are better informed about how their police force is working to tackle crime. This can be found at www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/12/08094452/0 .

  The Association of Scottish Neighbourhood Watches promotes good citizenship and greater public participation in the prevention and solution of crime. The Scottish Government provides the Association with grant funding (£253,000 in 2008-09), and is supporting their award ceremony in April 2009 which will help raise awareness of local citizenship, crime prevention and community safety activity.

  The Scottish Government also provides grant funding (£220,000 in 2008-09) to Crimestoppers Scotland. Crimestoppers Scotland regularly host campaigns to encourage the public to contact them with information on criminals or crimes. They also publicise their success at providing the police with information that leads to convictions.

  The Scottish Police Service is committed to ensuring that local communities are fully aware of, and can influence, local crime-fighting activity through a number of initiatives and strategies, such as the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) Public Reassurance Strategy which can be found at:

  www.acpos.police.uk/Documents/Policies/CRIME%20-%20ACPOS%20Public%20Reasurance%20Strategy%2010.09.07.pdf.

  Where necessary the Scottish Government will raise awareness through public information campaigns, such as work which is currently underway to develop a campaign around the misuse of air weapons, firearms and replica weapons.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what work it is undertaking to improve public awareness of the levels of burglary, robbery, theft, vehicle crime, violent crime and antisocial behaviour in local communities.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government publishes statistical information to raise public awareness of the levels of different types of crime in local communities. In particular, the Recorded Crime in Scotland Statistical Bulletin, published in September 2008, presents statistics on crimes and offences recorded and cleared up by the eight Scottish police forces, broken down by crime/offence group, police force area and council area. These statistics are available on the Scottish Government website ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/09/29155946/0 ) and are announced in the national media.

  Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics (SNS) is the Scottish Government’s on-going programme to improve the availability of small area statistics in Scotland. Members of the public can find out statistical information about their local community, including crime levels, by entering their postcode on the SNS website http://www.sns.gov.uk/. We are currently working with forces to update and enhance this for the 2009 Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.

  Police Forces, Community Safety Partnerships and their local partners work hard to raise awareness of crime levels in their communities and reassure the public that these issues are being addressed. More information can be found on local authority and police websites.

  The review of national antisocial behaviour policy is considering this issue in relation to antisocial behaviour and will report to Parliament in early 2009.

Debt

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met money advice organisations and what issues were discussed.

Stewart Maxwell: Scottish Government officials meet regularly with representatives of the money advice sector. Their most recent meeting with Citizens Advice Scotland, and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, was on 22 December 2008, when they discussed the £1 million additional funding for debt advice which I announced on 8 December.

  I meet Citizens Advice Scotland formally twice a year. At my most recent meeting with them, on 9 October 2008, we discussed the credit crunch, fuel poverty, and benefits uptake and related advice, focussing on older people and their debt problems. I also meet money advice organisations informally at events and on visits.

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the waiting times are for drug and alcohol treatment via the NHS in West Lothian.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the average waiting time of clients for drug and alcohol treatment interventions is not held centrally.

  A national waiting times information framework was implemented in April 2004 to enable Alcohol and Drug Action Teams (ADATs) and local services – NHS, local authority and voluntary sector – to monitor waiting times for drug treatment and care in their local area. ADATs send aggregated data to Information Services (ISD) on a quarterly basis, and ISD submit reports to the Scottish Government each quarter (these may be viewed on http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/wtpilot/reports.htm).

  Table 1: Clients in West Lothian Offered an Appointment Date for any Intervention1,3 by ADAT4 : July to September 2008

  

<7 Days
 8-14 Days
 15-21 Days
 22-28 Days
5-8Weeks
 9-12 Weeks
13-26Weeks
 27-52 Weeks
52+Weeks
 Total


 42
 16
 6
 6
 9
 7
 5
 0
 0
 91



  Table 2: Clients in West Lothian Still Waiting for an Appointment Date for any Intervention2,3 by ADAT4 as at 30 September 2008

  

<7 Days
 8-14 Days
 15-21 Days
 22-28 Days
5-8Weeks
 9-12 Weeks
 13-26 Weeks
 27-52 Weeks
52+Weeks
 Total


 2
 5
 5
 5
 29
 13
 23
 18
 37
 137



  Notes:

  1. Time between date care plan is agreed/ decision on treatment is made/ date client ready for treatment and the first appointment date offered for any intervention (for those offered an intervention date during the reporting period).

  2. Time between date care plan is agreed/ decision on treatment is made/date client ready for treatment and the end of the reporting period (for those still waiting to be offered an intervention date).

  3. The interventions include: structured preparatory and motivational intervention, prescribed drug treatment, community support/rehabilitation and residential detoxification/rehabilitation.

  4. Caution is recommended when interpreting these statistics as the number of services submitting data varies significantly from area to area.

  The member may also wish to note that the Scottish Government recently announced that there would be a measure in the NHS HEAT system for 2009-10 to offer drug misusers faster access to appropriate treatment to support their recovery.

Economy

Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its response to the recommendations made in the First Annual Report of the Scottish Council of Economic Advisers: December 2008 .

John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s response to the recommendations contained in the First Annual Report of the Scottish Council of Economic Advisers will be published today. Copies of the document have been lodged with Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47314) and the response is due to be debated in Parliament on 22 January 2009.

Elections

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it proposes for a period of purdah during the next UK general election.

Bruce Crawford: UK General elections and by-elections raise different issues to those which arise at Scottish Parliament elections and, as during the 2001 and 2005 UK General election campaigns, business will continue as normal. Guidance has been issued to all Scottish Government staff on their role and conduct during the period of a UK General Election or by-election campaign. The guidance has been posted on the Scottish Government website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/07/uk-election-guidance/.

Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful prosecutions for abuse of health staff, as defined in the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005, were dealt with by the Scottish courts in (a) 2006, (b) 2007 and (c) 2008.

Kenny MacAskill: Scottish Government Court Proceedings data does not contain information at the level of detail requested. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15073 on 15 August 2008, which gives the total number of persons with a charge proved under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 for the latest years available.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Energy

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent meetings it has had with energy companies to discuss consumer energy bills.

John Swinney: I, along with the Minister for Communities and Sport held a series of meetings with the major Scottish energy supply companies in November. These meetings covered a wide range of issues including energy pricing, energy efficiency and assistance for those in fuel poverty. We made clear at these meetings, the importance of energy companies acting to minimise the impact of high energy prices, particularly on our most vulnerable people. We are urging energy companies to pass on any reductions in wholesale energy costs to consumers as quickly as possible.

  In addition to the November meetings, we continue to have regular dialogue with energy supply companies on a range of issues including energy pricing.

Enterprise

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support retail businesses in rural town centres in light of the current economic slowdown.

Jim Mather: The over-riding purpose of the Scottish Government is to increase sustainable economic growth. This is growth in all parts of Scotland including our rural communities.

  This purpose remains unchanged. In the current economic climate we will redouble our efforts to help every business, irrespective of size, location and sector, endure and grow. Key programmes which will assist many of the small and medium-sized retailers operating in rural communities are being enhanced.

  The Small Business Bonus Scheme will be extended from April 2009 with an extra £50 million in support being made available. Regional Selective Assistance has been extended across the whole of Scotland. Businesses can access advice on cash flow and business efficiency issues from the Business Gateway website and directly from Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Assistance is being provided across all sectors through the six key elements of the Scottish Economic Recovery Programme.

Enterprise

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to develop a national enterprise strategy that recognises, coordinates and communicates support available for disabled people.

Jim Mather: The Government Economic Strategy (GES) sets out how we will focus on creating a more successful country through increasing sustainable economic growth. It is a wide-ranging strategy that recognises that all the arms of government need to play a role in strengthening the Scottish economy. This includes working with other public, private and third sector partners to ensure that enterprise and business development support is responsive, focused and accessible to all sectors of Scottish society, including disabled people.

  Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise play a key role in delivering aspects of the GES.

  Both enterprise agencies support the Equality Matters in Business project, a pioneering Scotland-wide project that aims to enhance the advice and support given to small and medium sized enterprises on the business benefits of good practice in equality and diversity. It is a two year scheme running to March 2009 which covers all strands of equality, focuses on the demand for diversity and addresses the barriers that prevent the supply of a diverse workforce.

  Statistics are not available on the outcome of this project however, monitoring procedures are being put in place to record the number of businesses advised and an evaluation is currently being carried out.

Enterprise

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it made and to whom concerning the closure of the Sun Microsystems operation in Linlithgow.

Jim Mather: Sun Microsystems announced that internal manufacturing would be brought to a close at Linlithgow affecting approximately 15% of its Scottish workforce. Officials at Scottish Development International and Scottish Enterprise are now working with senior Sun Management in both Scotland and the USA to mitigate the impact of this decision and offer any assistance that they can.

Environment

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has given consideration to extending the boundary of the Coir’an Eoin section of the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands Special Protection Area.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration Scottish Natural Heritage has given to evidence on the number of golden plovers adjacent to the Coir’an Eoin section of the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands Special Protection Area (SPA) and whether such numbers would give cause to extend the SPA to provide appropriate protection.

Michael Russell: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has advised that the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands Special Protection Area (SPA) was identified following considerable assessment and detailed survey over a period of years. The component units of the SPA reflect the outstanding active blanket bog areas and the outstanding community of birds including golden plover which are related to this habitat. The site boundaries were determined using the principle of safeguarding intact hydrological units wherever possible, and making use of clearly identifiable features such as streams, watersheds etc. The eastern boundary of Coir’ an Eoin marks the eastern extent of active bog in this area, generally following the burn, Allt a’Mhuilinn.

  The adjacent area which provides habitat for golden plover has a significantly different character and comprises drier peatland merging into dry heath. The quality of habitat is much more degraded and provides poor habitat for other bird species. On this basis, the site was considered unsuitable for inclusion in the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SPA. Viewing the area as a separate entity, SNH’s assessment is that it does not meet the criteria set out in the UK SPA Selection Guidelines.

  Further information on the development and application of the UK SPA Selection Guidelines is available via the following web link http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-1405.

Environment

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been since May 2007 for the discharge of pollution into rivers and how many have been successful.

Richard Lochhead: Twenty-one prosecutions have been concluded, 20 resulting in convictions.

Farming

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers have entered into organic production in each year since 1999.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government do not collect comprehensive information relating to farmers who have entered organic production. However, we do hold information on the number of farmers who have entered the Organic Aid Scheme each year, as shown in the following table.

  

 Year
Organic Aid Scheme* Entrants


 1999
 252


 2000
 136


 2001
 127


 2002
 50


 2003
 14


 2004
 113


 2005
 95


 2006
 148


 2007
 0


 2008
 0



  Note: *The Organic Aid Scheme closed to new applications on 31 March 2006.

Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which agencies, local authorities or other public bodies had investments in a vehicle under the control of Bernard Madoff and what the total amount was of those investments.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government, including its executive agencies, do not invest resources outside the public sector. Bodies sponsored by the Scottish Government, essentially non-departmental public bodies, are not permitted to make investments of a speculative nature. Details of investments made by local authorities or other public bodies are not held centrally.

Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its agencies has financial dealings with the Tosca hedge fund.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government, including its Executive Agencies, do not invest resources outside the public sector. bodies sponsored by the Scottish Government, essentially non-departmental public bodies, are not permitted to make investments of a speculative nature.

Flood Prevention

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for flood prevention funding are in progress, broken down by local authority.

Michael Russell: None. Flood prevention funding was included in the local government finance settlement for 2008-11.

Flood Prevention

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve flood prevention schemes in Perthshire in 2009.

Michael Russell: This is entirely a matter for Perth and Kinross Council who have powers under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961 to take measures for the maintenance or improvement of flood prevention schemes.

Flood Prevention

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve flood prevention schemes in Angus in 2009.

Michael Russell: This is entirely a matter for Angus Council who have powers under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961 to take measures for the maintenance or improvement of flood prevention schemes.

Forestry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much potential income it estimates will arise from joint ventures under powers in relation to the national forest estate on which it is consulting and how such estimates, taken over the same period as potential leasing arrangements, compare with estimated income from leasing arrangements.

Michael Russell: It is estimated that annual net income potential from joint ventures for renewable energy development might be expected to reach perhaps £10 million per year by 2012 and perhaps £30 million per year by 2020. Leasing arrangements may produce a lower return, but that will depend on the prevailing economic conditions, lease conditions and success of individual schemes.

Forestry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether potential leasing arrangements for the national forest estate will be subject to competitive tendering.

Michael Russell: If a decision is taken to lease parts of the national forest estate, then the leasing process will follow best practice in order to secure value for money while safeguarding public benefits.

Forestry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much time it estimates will be needed to prepare all necessary documentation and parcelling of land for leasing parts of the national forest estate.

Michael Russell: The extent, nature and number of potential land leases have not been determined, so it is not possible at this stage to estimate the time that would be required to prepare the necessary documentation.

Forestry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it envisages before decisions are made about which parcels of the national forest estate will be offered for leasing and whether such consultation will involve local communities with a potential interest.

Michael Russell: If a decision is taken to lease parts of the national forest estate, there will be a further opportunity for stakeholder groups to be involved in discussing and influencing the way in which this would be implemented.

Forestry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of new planting took place on the national forest estate in each of the last 10 years.

Michael Russell: The total amount of hectares of new planting that took place on the national forest estate in each of the last 10 years are listed in the following tables. Figures for restocking are also shown.

  Planting on the National Forest Estate

  

 Year
 New Planting
 Restocking
Total (Thousand Hectares)


 1998-99
 0.1
 3.4
 3.5


 1999-2000
 -
 4.3
 4.3


 2000-01
 0.1
 4.4
 4.5


 2001-02
 0.1
 4.9
 5.0


 2002-03
 0.1
 5.0
 5.1


 2003-04
 0.1
 5.3
 5.4


 2004-05
 0.1
 6.2
 6.3


 2005-06
 0.1
 5.2
 5.3


 2006-07
 -
 6.4
 6.4


 2007-08
 -
 5.9
 5.9

Forestry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether new planting rates meet national targets for new forest planting.

Michael Russell: Earlier this year, Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) indicated in its Scottish Forestry Strategy Implementation Plan that a sustained programme of around 10,000 hectares of new planting would be required each year to achieve the Strategy aspiration of 25% woodland cover by the second half of the century. FCS estimated that the private sector would plant 80% of the annual programme, while the remainder would be planted on the national forest estate. It is therefore too early to assess progress against this programme, particularly as the incentives to help delivery, the forestry measures within the SRDP, have just been put in place after the closure of the Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme. Progress will, however, be monitored closely over the coming years, and the figures will be published.

Forestry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it costs on average to plant a hectare of new national forest estate.

Michael Russell: The average cost of establishment for a mixed commercial and amenity woodland on the national forest estate is £3,185 per hectare.

Forestry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which public bodies or enterprises, including Forestry Commission Scotland, are eligible to apply for grants to the Scotland Rural Development Programme for new forest planting.

Michael Russell: Forestry Commission Scotland’s new forest planting on the national forest estate is funded through its own budget. Any other public body or enterprise which owns or leases land is eligible to apply for grants under the Scotland Rural Development Programme for new planting.

Forestry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether private enterprises leasing parts of the national forest estate would be eligible to receive Scotland Rural Development Programme funds.

Michael Russell: If a decision is taken to lease parts of the national forest estate, the lessees would be eligible to receive funds from the Scotland Rural Development Programme, subject to approval of appropriate work proposals.

Forestry

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances new powers proposed in the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill might be exercised and override the statutory duties and functions of Forestry Commission Scotland.

Michael Russell: The new powers proposed in the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill would allow modification by order of the functions of the Forestry Commissioners to enable Forestry Commission Scotland to play a greater role in tackling climate change. Subject to the outcome of current consultation on Climate Change and the National Forest Estate , they would be used to take forward proposals relating to renewable energy development on the national forest estate, and to releasing capital from the national forest estate for investment in forest-related climate change mitigation measures.

Forestry

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure the conservation and enhancement of natural beauty, flora, fauna and geological or physiographical features of special interest when exercising new forestry powers proposed in the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill.

Michael Russell: The consultation exercise and options review currently being carried out will help inform Forestry Commission Scotland’s deliberations on the range and nature of the safeguards that need to be introduced to ensure the conservation and enhancement of natural beauty, flora, fauna and geological or physiographical features of special interest.

General Practitioners

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that both GP referral letters and letters to GPs from consultants or other specialist staff are copied to patients as part of improving patient health literacy.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are currently no plans to copy GP referral letters and letters to GPs from consultants or other specialist staff. Patients can exercise their rights under the Data Protection Act 1998 and request copies of correspondence about them.

Health

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with relevant organisations in relation to the roll-out of community alcohol partnerships.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has discussed community alcohol partnerships with a number of relevant organisations, including bodies represented on the Scottish Government Alcohol Industry Partnership. Scottish Government officials recently visited a community alcohol partnership in St Neot’s, Cambridgeshire, to learn about its operation and impact.

  The Scottish Government is supportive of partnership activity to tackle alcohol misuse and the Scottish Government Alcohol Industry Partnership is supporting the development of a wide-scale and far-reaching community partnership initiative in Fife which will take into account useful learning from other community alcohol partnerships.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what adjustments it is proposing to make to the cervical screening programme, with particular reference to (a) method of screening, (b) age range, (c) proposed exclusions and (d) human papilloma virus (HPV) screening.

Shona Robison: There are no current plans to change the cervical screening programme. However, the National Advisory Group on Breast and Cervical Screening will continue to review emerging evidence from research on an on-going basis.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has engaged with the UK Government’s Department of Health consultation on possible revisions to the Quality and Outcomes Framework.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government Health Directorates are fully engaged in UK Health Department discussions of proposed changes to the process for reviewing and developing potential new Quality and Outcomes Framework indicators.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the proposal to move the oversight of clinical indicators for the Quality and Outcomes Framework to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is broadly supportive of proposals to introduce an independent and transparent process for reviewing and establishing new Quality and Outcomes Framework indicators. Much of the detail of the new process remains to be worked through, including how to best reflect Scottish health needs and priorities within the UK framework, but it is our intention that NHS Quality Improvement Scotland should play a role in the revised independent process.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS professionals use eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing and, if so, what the main benefits are to patients.

Nicola Sturgeon: Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is available within the NHS in Scotland, particularly for treating those with post traumatic stress disorders. In the broadest sense the treatment aims are to alleviate suffering, boost life stability and assist all patients to fulfil their potential within their daily lives.

  Training courses are run regularly throughout Scotland and the wider UK. Clinicians can work towards accreditation by EMDR UK.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what help and support is given to families with overweight children, particularly those with children under the age of five.

Shona Robison: The earliest years of a child’s life has been identified as a key stage of development where behaviours and health can be set for life. Therefore the government has made this a priority area for action with several programmes aimed at providing support to families with children under five. These include £19 million made available to health boards over the next three years (£3 million, £6 million and £10 million) to improve maternal and infant nutrition and Play@home to encourage physical activity, which is currently being rolled out across Scotland.

Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what directions have been issued to the NHS for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guideline 62 on Prophylaxis of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) states that all patients admitted to hospital for major trauma (e.g. fracture causing immobilisation), major surgery (e.g. duration over 30 minutes), or acute medical illness (e.g. likely to require bed rest for three days or more) should be assessed individually for risk of VTE. Some elements of the diagnosis and management of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) are covered in SIGN Guideline 36 on Antithrombotic Therapy.

  SIGN is now reviewing Guideline 62 and will incorporate recommendations on the diagnosis and management of DVT and pulmonary embolism into a single document. Guideline 36 is also under review.

  On 26 January 2008, the Chief Medical Officer and the Chairman of NHS QIS wrote to all NHS boards, asking them to address the requirement for written policies for the prevention and management of DVT as a matter of urgency, based on SIGN Guidelines 36 and 62, and to ensure that consistent and accessible patient information was available. NHS QIS completed a follow-up report in December 2008, concluding that NHS boards had provided reasonable reassurance that they had continued to implement, and in some areas complete, these actions.

  NHS QIS has stressed to NHS boards that they should continue to consider this a high priority and fully implement all aspects of their strategy on the management of DVT. The Chief Medical Officer is following up the NHS QIS report with NHS boards’ medical directors.

Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it records the number of in-patients who develop deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism following joint replacement and, if so, what these figures are, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is provided in the following table. The figures in each column give the total numbers for the five years 2002-07. Aggregated data for five years on the number of re-admissions was necessary, due to the low annual incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) cases occurring in patients who have undergone a primary hip or knee replacement. Confidentiality rules require that any number less than five must be replaced with an *.

  

NHS Board of Treatment
Number of Primary Hip and Knee Replacements
Number of episodes of DVT/PE in the same Health Board where the primary hip/knee replacement was carried out
Number of readmissions for DVT/PE to a Health Board other than where the primary hip/knee replacement was carried out


Scotland 
49,728
584
44


Argyll and Clyde
2,179
20
6


Ayrshire and Arran
3,166
47
*


Borders
1,277
20
0


Dumfries and Galloway
951
26
6


Fife 
3,244
36
*


Forth Valley 
1,645
16
*


Grampian
5,627
65
*


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
8,905
79
6


Highland 
2,832
30
0


Lanarkshire
3,494
53
6


Lothian
7,246
120
6


Orkney
0
0
*


Shetland
0
0
*


Tayside
4,750
62
*


The National Waiting Times Centre Board
4,115
7
0


Western Isles
297
*
*



  Source: SMR01, ISD Scotland.

Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to protect patients in light of the 2007 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on venous thromboembolism and recommendations from the Department of Health and the House of Commons Health Committee.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) is currently reviewing its Guideline 62 on Prophylaxis of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE), and as part of that process will take account of the NICE Guideline 46 on venous thromboembolism and the recommendations from the Department of Health in London and the House of Commons Health Committee.

Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to update Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guideline 62, Prophylaxis of Venous Thromboembolism, published in 2002.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) is expected to consult on a revised version of Guideline 62 on Prophylaxis of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) during this year, with publication of the revised Guideline in autumn 2010.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for not introducing a dedicated webpage that would provide at one source publicly-accessible information on hospital-acquired infections and mortality figures for every hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: Work is currently in hand to develop a web based portal through which all published information relating to healthcare associated infection (HAI) can be accessed. This will include links to the data now being collected using the new infection reporting template I announced earlier this week and which ensures for the first time that clear, standardised and transparent information on infection rates and other key HAI information will be available not only at NHS board level but by hospital and specialty as well.

Higher Education

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has to suggest that student hardship discourages people from going to university.

Fiona Hyslop: The evidence base around individuals’ participation in Higher Education (HE) has identified a range of financial, cultural, institutional and dispositional factors that influence individuals in their choice of pursuing HE. This evidence does not specifically refer to "hardship" in isolation but rather that the costs associated with study and a fear of debt generally can impact on individual choices to participate in HE. Costs and fear of debt are identified as key themes in the growing research evidence conducted with current and prospective students.

  Ongoing Scottish Government research (Student Income, Expenditure and Debt survey) will provide more up to date information of students’ perceptions of debt and costs and assess the extent to which these are determining factors in students’ decisions to enter HE. This may provide more specific information relative to student hardship, however, will be unavailable until April 2009.

Higher Education

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will establish a widening access unit to improve university uptake rates from across the social spectrum.

Fiona Hyslop: There are currently no plans to establish a widening access unit to improve university uptake rates.

  The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has lead responsibility for promoting widening access through its own activities, the four regional widening access forums and higher education institutions. In 2008, the SFC strengthened its commitment to widening participation by the establishment of an Access and Inclusion Committee to raise the profile of this activity. The Scottish Government welcomes the establishment of this committee and will continue to work closely with the SFC to promote widening access.

Historic Scotland

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the role, function or operation of Historic Scotland.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the public bodies landscape is simpler, more focused and easier to navigate, by bringing together organisations with similar skills, expertise and processes. The role, function and operation of Historic Scotland were considered during the review of the public sector landscape, on which the government’s main conclusions were announced last January. Work is on-going to examine the scope to rationalise historic archival, recording and scheduling functions and for streamlining the activities of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Historic Scotland and the National Archives of Scotland. Work is currently in progress with these organisations to determine the most effective structure for delivering the public services that they provide.

Housing

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that housing associations are enabled to build new developments in response to local demands, in light of recent cuts to the Housing Association Grant subsidy.

Stewart Maxwell: We are working across Scotland with Housing Associations to increase the supply of affordable homes. Almost all of our Affordable Housing Investment Programme, 95% of it, goes to housing associations. This year we will approve around 6,000 homes for development, the vast majority of these will be delivered through housing associations. In addition to the £493 million investment programme this year we are accelerating a further £120 million over this year and next to increase the speed of new housing development. This will bring next years Affordable Housing Investment Programme to a record high of £644 million, the highest ever announced by the Scottish Government.

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle overcrowding in social housing.

Stewart Maxwell: It is very regrettable when any household has to live in overcrowded conditions. 4.2% of social tenants live in overcrowded conditions and the legislation provides that they must be given reasonable preference for re-housing. Through their housing need and demand assessments local authorities should identify where there is a shortage of family accommodation, which should then be addressed in their Local Housing Strategies and Strategic Housing Investment Plans. In addition, we are providing £1.5 billion during the current spending review period to increase the supply of affordable housing.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the bid by Falkirk Council for funding from the £25 million package for council housing, what the average cost per house will be to the council in addition to the subsidy.

Stewart Maxwell: That is a matter for Falkirk Council.

Housing

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households have been in temporary accommodation in the Lothians in each month since March 2007, broken down by local authority area.

Stewart Maxwell: This information is not held centrally. The national homelessness statistics system records a snapshot of numbers of households in temporary accommodation at the end of each quarter, rather than on a monthly basis. From 1 April 2007, the system also records how many households access temporary accommodation at any point in the application process but does not record the exact dates on which temporary accommodation was occupied.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the maintenance order provisions of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 are adequate when dealing with owners who can pay but will not.

Stewart Maxwell: Local authorities will have new powers under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 to issue maintenance orders in certain circumstances. These will require owners to prepare a maintenance plan to secure the maintenance of the property to a reasonable standard. Where an owner fails to implement the plan the local authority will be able to take any action necessary to secure the implementation of that plan. This would include enforcing a plan where an owner is unwilling to pay for his or her responsibilities under that plan.

  Local authorities will also have new powers to pay a missing share into a maintenance account on behalf of an owner who is unable to pay, it is unreasonable to expect them to pay, or they cannot be found. This provision does not extend to paying shares on behalf of owners who are unwilling to pay. But owners already have recourse through the courts to pursue other non-paying owners.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will empower local authorities or other agencies as well as tenants to make complaints to the Private Rented Housing Panel.

Stewart Maxwell: The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 makes it clear that the Private Rented Housing Panel (PRHP) deals with complaints on repairing standard issues from tenants only. This Standard, which was introduced by the 2006 act, updated the landlord’s repairing obligations in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987. Those obligations could be enforced only by tenants taking court action. The PRHP was established to make it easier for tenants to seek redress.

  As the Policy Memorandum for the Housing (Scotland) Bill explained in 2005, the possibility of having the repairing standard enforced directly against landlords by local authorities or an equivalent agency was considered. This would have been on the model of a local authority taking direct action on houses below the tolerable standard or in serious disrepair, by serving a statutory notice. However it was decided that the underlying principle of the 2006 act, that the householder should have prime responsibility for his or her housing conditions, should apply. The intention was to strengthen the existing mechanism for tenants to act on repair issues, rather than replace it with additional direct regulation by local authorities or other agencies. Since the idea of local authorities directly enforcing the repairing standard has been rejected, it would not be appropriate for local authorities to have the power to complain to a tribunal about breaches of the standard.

  Local authorities already have powers to take direct action on sub-standard houses, the condition of which may also constitute breaches of some requirements of the repairing standard. These powers will be strengthened by the implementation of other provisions in the 2006 act. Local authorities also have an important role in informing tenants about their right to complain to the PRHP, advising them how to go about making a complaint, and, if necessary, assisting them to do so. The Scottish Government strongly encourages local authorities to provide such advice and assistance.

  We therefore have no plans to allow anyone other than tenants to apply to the PRHP.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will strengthen the powers available to local authorities to certify that houses are overcrowded, are in multiple occupation or should be registered under the landlord registration requirements.

Stewart Maxwell: Local authorities have powers to deal with the three issues of overcrowding, houses in multiple occupation and landlord registration.

  The statutory definition of overcrowding is contained in Part VII of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987. Local authorities have various powers and duties in relation to overcrowded houses and their occupants, including carrying out inspections to identify overcrowded houses and taking levels of overcrowding into account in the preparation of local housing strategies.

  Where a house is the only or principal residence of three or more people, who are members of more than two families, and it is not specifically exempted by legislation, it is a house in multiple occupation (HMO). The owner of an HMO is required to obtain a licence from the local authority. The licence will specify conditions for the operation of the premises, including the maximum number of occupants. Local authorities have a responsibility to identify unlicensed HMOs and powers to take enforcement action where HMOs are operating without a licence or there is a breach of licensing conditions.

  All private landlords are required to register with the local authorities within whose areas they let houses. A local authority will only register a landlord if they consider that person to be fit and proper to act as such. It is a criminal offence to let houses without being registered. Local authorities undertake a range of activities to identify unregistered landlords and have a range of enforcement powers to use against them.

  The Scottish Government continues to work with all local authorities to ensure that they make full use of their existing powers.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to tackle alleged problems of gross overcrowding and abuse of housing protections in the Govanhill area of Glasgow.

Stewart Maxwell: Local authorities have powers to identify issues of overcrowding under the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987. To help address overcrowding, local authorities and registered social landlords are required to give reasonable preference in the allocation of their housing to those people living in overcrowded houses or those with large families. They also have responsibility for ensuring that houses in multiple occupation are licensed and that licensing conditions, including those relating to maximum occupancy, are complied with. Local authorities have a range of powers to deal with issues of poor housing quality and the landlord registration provisions allow them to refuse registration to those people who are not fit and proper to let houses.

  The Scottish Government strongly encourages local authorities to make full use of all of the powers at their disposal.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide increased resources to tackle housing disrepair in Govanhill.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government provides funding to local authorities through Private Sector Housing Grant to help meet the cost of priority house condition works. In 2008-09, Glasgow City Council received £10.66 million out of a national budget of £67 million. Glasgow City Council also received £83 milllion Housing Association Grant in 2008-09 to help meet the city’s housing needs. The council’s allocation has been maintained against tight funding pressures in 2008-09. It is for the council to decide how these resources are best allocated to address the housing needs of the city.

  The Scottish Government is aware of the issues in Govanhill and is engaged in discussions with Glasgow City Council and Govanhill Housing Association to try to help find solutions.

Housing (Scotland) Act 2006

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a tenancy deposit scheme in terms of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18137 on 2 December 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

International Development

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it is making available to assist in providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.

Linda Fabiani: Both the Deputy First Minister and I made it clear during the recent debate on Gaza, that the Scottish Government stands ready to respond favourably to any requests for humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

  In addition, ministers have indicated that the NHS in Scotland is ready to help civilians affected by the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

International Development

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has committed to providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.

Linda Fabiani: No specific amount has been allocated as yet. At this stage we are assessing what type of assistance is required and how we can best target our support.

  I have arranged to meet those Scottish based organisations involved in Gaza to hear first hand about their work and discuss how best the Scottish Government can assist. Our response will be informed by these discussions.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that gang culture is a problem that disproportionately affects the West of Scotland.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle gang culture other than the provision of £200,000 of funding announced by Kenny MacAskill on 14 February 2008.

Fergus Ewing: Whilst the problem of teenage gangs is not exclusive to the West of Scotland available evidence gathered by the police suggests that is where the problem is greatest. One of the areas worst affected is the east end of Glasgow, and that is why the Scottish Government announced on 12 December 2008 a £1.6 million funding package to support the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV) project. The project will bring together a range of partners from the police, education, social work, health, employment and the community to tackle this long standing problem, delivering coordinated intensive support services, diversionary activities and intelligence led enforcement. The project will be fully evaluated and we hope that the positive findings can, where appropriate, will be replicated in other parts of Scotland.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the announcement on 24 October 2008 by Kenny MacAskill MSP of £1 million additional funding to deliver speedier community penalties, how it will measure whether community service orders begin more quickly after sentencing and are completed in a shorter time.

Fergus Ewing: The award of an additional £1 million in 2009-10 (£250,000 this financial year) to the community justice authorities for the delivery of speedier and more immediate community penalties indicated that the Scottish Government, in conjunction with COSLA, will be commissioning an early audit of current timescales across all local authorities for start and completion of work placements. The audit will be repeated in the first quarter of 2010 in order to measure the impact of the additional funding in delivering the improvements in standards of service delivery sought.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18738 by Kenny MacAskill on 16 December 2008 regarding the length of time that passes before a non-custodial sentence commences, whether it plans to start recording this information centrally.

Kenny MacAskill: It is not intended to record this information centrally as a matter of routine. However, the additional £1 million funding to community justice authorities from 2009-10 which was announced on 24 October 2008 for the delivery of speedier and more immediate community penalties, carries with it a requirement for local authorities to make discernible progress towards this goal. Progress will be tracked through audits at appropriate intervals.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the £1 million of additional funding announced by Kenny MacAskill MSP on 24 October 2008 to deliver speedier community penalties will be allocated to each community justice authority in 2009-10.

Kenny MacAskill: The £1 million of additional funding to deliver speedier community penalties has been allocated to each community justice authority (CJA) as per the following table.

  

CJA
Allocation (£)


Fife and Forth Valley
£181,117


Glasgow
£271,375


Lanarkshire
£198,782


Lothian and Borders
-£55,969


Northern
£109,558


North Strathclyde
£142,265


South West Scotland
£104,183


Tayside
£48,688

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the announcement on 24 October 2008 by Kenny MacAskill MSP of £1 million additional funding to deliver speedier community penalties, whether it intends to continue funding beyond 2009-10.

Kenny MacAskill: The £1 million additional funding to deliver speedier community penalties has been incorporated into the core funding for community justice authorities. As such it becomes part of their baseline budget and will continue beyond 2009-10.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders received a prison sentence of six months or less, since and including 2007-08, broken down by police force area.

Kenny MacAskill: 2007-08 court proceedings data is planned for release in April 2009. Data for the latest year available (2006-07) is given below.

  Persons Receiving a Custodial Sentence in Scottish Courts of Six Months or Less, 2006-07

  

Police Force Area
Number of Persons


Northern 
710


Grampian 
1,021


Tayside 
1,864


Fife 
804


Lothian and Borders 
2,023


Central 
696


Strathclyde 
7,034


Dumfries and Galloway
533


Total
14,686



  Note: 1. Total contains one case where force is unknown.

Justice

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-18693 and S3W-18694 by Kenny MacAskill on 18 December 2008, whether the option of making adaptations to Annan Town Hall to address security concerns was explored and costed and, if so, what the cost of such adaptations was estimated to be.

Kenny MacAskill: The consultation exercise for South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway is not due to end until 2 March 2009. Decisions will not be made until after the consultation responses and the Scottish Court Service final proposals have been fully considered.

  The reasons for the Scottish Court Service recommendation in relation to Annan are set out in the consultation document. Scottish Court Service have advised that the building lay out at Annan Town Hall precludes any adaptation to address the security concerns in that building. No costing was undertaken.

Justice

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to agree and implement a standard definition of incidents recorded by the police.

Kenny MacAskill: The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) are currently looking at this issue. This in turn has led the Scottish Command and Control User Group to set up a small working group, under the Deputy Project Manager of the National Command and Control Project, to prepare a National Standard for Incident Recording. This will incorporate the definition of an "incident" and set out a common minimum recording standard.

  In relation to the recording of crimes and offences, action has already been taken to improve consistency in the way crimes are recorded in Scotland. The Scottish Crime Recording Standard (SCRS) was introduced throughout all Scottish Police Forces on 1 April 2004. The main aim of this was to provide a more victim orientated approach that ensured uniformity in crime recording standards throughout Scotland. The list of crime codes used to record crimes is consistent across all police forces in Scotland, and allows Scotland-level statistics to be created. This ultimately ensures a greater degree of comparability between forces than there was previously.

  The Scottish Crime Registrars Group (SCRG), created to oversee change in all forces, has helped achieve a more standardised approach to recording. The group consists of the eight police force crime registrars, as well as representatives from British Transport Police, the Ministry of Defence Police and the Justice Analytical Services Division of the Scottish Government. The group meets every three months to review, maintain and improve the SCRS and its use and implementation.

  The Scottish Government continually strives to improve the way in which crimes and offences are recorded in Scotland, and will work with all police forces across Scotland, the SCRG and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to ensure that the rules in place ensure as much consistency and uniformity as possible.

Justice

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people under the age of 18 have been convicted of carrying (a) knives and (b) other weapons in the Lothians region in each month since January 2008, broken down by local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: The most up to date published court proceedings data is for 2006-07 (covering the year to the end of March 2007). Data for 2007-08, covering the period April 2007 to March 2008, is still being processed and the data required is therefore not available at this time.

  The 2007-08 data is planned for release in April 2009.

Justice

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) under 15, (b) 15 to 18, (c) 19 to 21 and (d) over 21 have been arrested for being drunk and disorderly in the Lothians region in each month since January 2008, broken down by local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: Information on the number of arrests made by the police is not held centrally, only the number of crimes recorded.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) offences have been recorded and (b) prosecutions there have been for offences contained in Part 8 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 since the introduction of the legislation, broken down by (i) month and (ii) local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: Some elements of Part 8 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 are currently in force. Section 105(1), purchase of alcohol by or for a child or young person, came into force from 1 June 2006 (subject to a number of transitional provisions).

  For recorded crime data, section 105(1) is covered within a crime code that also contains offences relating to a number of other legislations. It is not therefore possible to find the number of recorded offences that solely relate to section 105(1) of the 2005 act.

  The Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database has no records up to 2006-07 (the most recent published data) of prosecutions under Part 8 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, most of which does not come into force until 1 September 2009. This timetable is consistent with that proposed by the previous administration for full implementation of the act.

Local Authority Boundaries

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the local ward and local authority area boundaries prior to the council elections in 2012.

John Swinney: Last year Scottish ministers passed a Direction in exercise of the powers conferred in section 15(3) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. This instructed the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland not to undertake a review of any local government area from 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2011, other than (a) a review of boundary issues between two or more local authority areas, which potentially directly affects not more than 300 electors, or (b) a review which is required by a direction made under section 15(2) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

  The Local Government Boundary Commission is currently conducting reviews in three areas. The commission published its proposals for the local authority area boundary between Glasgow City and North Lanarkshire at Cardowan by Stepps on 31 October 2008. The commission has commenced reviews concerning two other locations where housing development has taken place across a local authority boundary. These are at Fithiebank, on the boundary between Dundee City and Angus, and at Robroyston, on the boundary between Glasgow City and East Dunbartonshire.

  The commission completed its most recent statutory reviews wards for local government in 2006. Its next reviews of these have not begun, and are due to report between 2014 and 2018.

Local Government Finance

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it anticipates each local authority will save as a direct result of the abolition of ring fencing in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.

John Swinney: The significant reduction in ring fencing under the concordat has been of substantial benefit to local authorities. The change has given them greater flexibility to manage their resources more effectively and efficiently for the benefit of their service users. While it is too early to make a reliable estimate of the resulting savings, we will be considering the impact of this change in due course.

Local Government Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much is owed to the Public Works Loan Board for construction and how much interest is paid to the board.

John Swinney: Information in respect of Scottish local authorities is not held centrally. The only information held centrally is for Scottish Water. As at 31 March 2008, Scottish Water owed £259.87 million to the Public Works Loan Board and the interest payment due in 2008-09 is estimated at £25 million.

Local Government Finance

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the City of Edinburgh Council’s allocation is under the capital city supplement for each of the next three years.

John Swinney: Included within the resources in the Scottish Government’s Budget Bill for 2009-10 is an additional sum of £3.5 million which will be allocated to the City of Edinburgh Council in recognition of those unique cost factors the council incurs as Scotland’s capital city. Subject to the Parliament’s approval of the bill and the Local Government Finance Order for 2009-10, this amount will then be baselined.

Local Government Finance

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the capital city supplement to the City of Edinburgh Council is intended to contribute to the council’s costs in relation to festivals and events.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the capital city supplement to the City of Edinburgh Council is intended to contribute to the council’s costs in relation to its World Heritage Site status.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the capital city supplement to the City of Edinburgh Council is intended to contribute to the council’s costs in relation to migration.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the capital city supplement to the City of Edinburgh Council is intended to contribute to the council’s costs in relation to national sports and recreation facilities.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the capital city supplement to the City of Edinburgh Council is intended to contribute to the council’s costs in relation to affordable housing.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the capital city supplement to the City of Edinburgh Council is intended to contribute to the council’s costs in relation to investment in the public realm.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the capital city supplement to the City of Edinburgh Council is intended to contribute to the council’s costs in relation to investment in connectivity.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the capital city supplement to the City of Edinburgh Council is intended to contribute to the council’s costs in relation to investment in infrastructure.

John Swinney: How the City of Edinburgh Council allocates the additional funding to be provided is a matter for the council.

Local Government Finance

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether other city councils have been given the opportunity to submit business cases for supplementary funding to meet additional costs, similar to the capital city supplement awarded to the City of Edinburgh Council.

John Swinney: The additional capital city supplement funding provided to the City of Edinburgh Council is in recognition of factors that are unique to Edinburgh as Scotland’s capital city. No other city council is eligible for this type of additional funding. Other city councils may receive additional support from time to time in recognition of exceptional or special circumstances. For example, Aberdeen City Council was given initial consent by the Scottish Government in December 2008 to borrow £11.7 million to enable it to meet certain revenue costs.

Local Government Finance

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps other city councils would be required to take in order to access supplementary funding to meet additional costs, similar to the capital city supplement awarded to the City of Edinburgh Council.

John Swinney: Other councils may receive additional support from time to time in recognition of exceptional or special circumstances. For example, Aberdeen City Council was given initial consent by the Scottish Government in December 2008 to borrow £11.7 million to enable it to meet certain revenue costs.

Local Government Finance

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which parts of the City of Edinburgh Council’s business case for additional funding as part of the capital city supplement were rejected and what the reasons were in each case.

John Swinney: Capital city supplement was not awarded for those elements of the City of Edinburgh Council’s application that were not considered to be unique to Edinburgh as Scotland’s capital city.

Mental Health

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the waiting times are for access to child and adolescent psychiatric services at St John’s Hospital.

Shona Robison: We do not gather this information centrally. We recently confirmed that we are now working towards a waiting time target for referral to treatment for specialist child and adolescent mental health services for 2010-11. Our preparatory attention to this is already underway shown in the new HEAT target for NHS boards on faster access to child services. During 2009-10 we will develop definitions and data to enable the reporting of child and adolescent psychiatric waits.

Mental Health

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for prioritising referrals for child and adolescent psychiatric services.

Shona Robison: Each NHS board has an agreed local referral criteria. However, as part of our work towards a waiting time target for referral to treatment for specialist child and adolescent mental health services for 2010-11, we are developing national guidance.

Mental Health

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to review the Mental Health of Children and Young People: A Framework for Promotion, Prevention and Care document published in 2005.

Shona Robison: The target date for the delivery of the Framework (Bib. number 38415) is 2015 and NHS boards and their partners are continuing to work towards that date. The milestones set in Delivering for Mental Health (Bib. number 41410) to be achieved by 2008 were delivered on time. We do not intend to review the framework at this time as it still commands widespread support.

Ministerial Visits

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture has visited the (a) London and (b) East Kilbride offices of the Department for International Development and in each case whom she met and what issues and countries were discussed.

Linda Fabiani: I visited the Department for International Development (DFID) in East Kilbride on 7 November 2008 where I met the Head of DFID’s Headquarters in Scotland who is also the Director of East and Central Africa. We discussed the Scottish Government’s International Development Policy.

  I wrote to the Secretary of State for International Development on 6 July 2007 expressing the hope that we could meet in the near future. I have not had a response to that request.

Ministerial Visits

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the ministerial visits made to the Glasgow Maryhill constituency since 17 May 2007, showing which other MSPs or ministers were in attendance and broken down by (a) ministerial portfolio, (b) venue, (c) date and (d) purpose of visit.

John Swinney: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

NHS Board

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of foundation doctors employed on short-term contracts of a period of less than one year worked for two or more NHS boards within the two year set training programme.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested has been provided by NHS Education for Scotland (NES):

  Foundation Doctors - Breakdown by NHS Board

  

 NHS Board
 FY1
 FY2
 Total %, by Deanery, who Have Contract in Two or More Boards in Two years


 West Deanery
 
 
 


 Ayrshire and Arran
 38
 46
 


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 231
 229
 


 Lanarkshire
 61
 67
 


 Dumfries and Galloway
 18
 18
 


 Forth Valley
 42
 30
 


 
 
 
 87%


 North Deanery
 
 
 


 Grampian
 102
 30
 


 Highland
 30
 34
 


 Shetland
 1
 2
 


 Western Isles
 2
 4
 


 
 
 
 78%


 South East Deanery
 
 
 


 Lothian
 134
 156
 


 Borders
 15
 8
 


 Fife
 37
 22
 


 
 
 
 48%


 East Deanery
 
 
 


 Tayside
 93
 93
 None - all employed by Tayside throughout their training

NHS Hospitals

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress there has been on the construction of the new Midlothian community hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: As indicated in my reply to your question on 20 September 2007, final approval would be granted following review of a Full Business Case. This has now taken place and approval was given to NHS Lothian on 22 December 2008. Financial close is scheduled to be reached by the end of January 2009, with work on site commencing soon after. It is anticipated that the new facility will be operational in the summer of 2010.

NHS Staff

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that long-serving members of staff who have retired from the NHS after the introduction of Agenda for Change are receiving their full pension entitlements based on their revised salaries.

Nicola Sturgeon: I can confirm that processes are in place to ensure that staff who have retired from the NHS after the introduction of Agenda for Change receive their full pension entitlements based on their revised salaries.

  In such cases, health board payroll offices submit amended retirement forms to the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA). Once SPPA receive all required information the retirement benefits are revised accordingly. SPPA then pay arrears of pension and additional lump sums as appropriate.

  Both health boards and SPPA are working hard to ensure any revised retirement benefits are processed as quickly as possible.

NHS Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recent agreement on the retention of free accommodation for foundation year one doctors in Wales, what steps it is taking to ensure that NHS boards are similarly instructed to continue this provision.

Nicola Sturgeon: As a result of an approach by the British Medical Association, the issue of free accommodation for FY1 doctors in Scotland was looked at. It was noted that there are recruitment and retention issues for this group of staff in Wales and that this provision had been retained as an interim arrangement. It was concluded that there are currently no significant recruitment and retention issues affecting this group of staff in Scotland which would require the reinstatement of this provision. However, it is open to individual NHS boards to make decisions in relation to the provision of free accommodation in the best interests of the service.

NHS Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that any foundation year one doctors who have worked across more than one NHS board are reimbursed for travel expenses irrespective of length of contract.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government Health Directorates recently facilitated discussions between the British Medical Association (BMA) and NHS Scotland employers in relation to travel and relocation expenses for doctors in training.

  These talks resulted in an interim agreement, covering the period August 2007 to July 2009, on arrangements for specialty trainees. No arrangements were agreed for foundation year doctors in the course of these discussions.

  Employers and the BMA agreed to review this interim agreement from May 2009 and further discussions are therefore planned for that time.

NHS Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that NHS boards comply fully with the European working time directive from 1 August 2009 and what steps it will take on or after that date to test compliance.

Nicola Sturgeon: Compliance with the Working Time Regulations (WTR) is the responsibility of NHS boards as employers. The Scottish Government aims to help the NHS to achieve compliance and continues to issue guidance, disseminate information on good practice and hold WTR seminars to help boards plan rotas and design services in order to achieve compliance.

  Last year all NHS Scotland boards were asked to share their plans for ensuring that their junior doctors reach compliance with the Scottish Government, and our WTR Advisers subsequently met with all boards to discuss their plans. Good progress is being made towards the target with significant redesign and investment in service modernisation already undertaken. New and expanded roles have been developed and out of hour care significantly re-modelled as the hospital at night approach has been introduced.

  I am aware that there are some boards for whom the target will be hard to achieve because of their remote and rural location and also some specialities such as neurosurgery which are likely to be challenging and may require national solutions.

  I am receiving regular updates on the position and will consider what further options and developments can be introduced which will continue to assist the boards in achieving and maintaining compliance at and beyond August 2009.

NHS Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many junior doctors are employed on short-term contracts for a period of less than one year, broken down by NHS board and grade.

Nicola Sturgeon: Junior doctors hold a training agreement with NES (NHS Education for Scotland) for their seven or eight year training programme, but because they work in different boards during training, they are employed on a series of short term employment contracts by each of the boards they work for during the training period.

  Foundation Year doctors are employed on four month contracts, LATs/FTSTAs and STs on one year contracts. SPRs are variable but longer than one year.

  The following figures have been provided by NHS Education for Scotland (NES):

  

 Boards
 FY1
 FY2
 FTSTA
 LAT
 SpR
 StR
 Total


 Ayrshire and Arran
 38
 46
 15
 14
 16
 103
 232


 Borders 
 15
 8
 4
 0
 7
 39
 73


 Common Services Agency
 Nil
 Nil
 0
 0
 2
 0
 2


 Dumfries and Galloway
 18
 18
 8
 7
 0
 42
 93


 Fife 
 37
 22
 19
 0
 26
 98
 202


 Forth Valley 
 42
 30
 15
 13
 13
 72
 185


 Grampian 
 102
 30
 22
 11
 159
 218
 542


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 231
 229
 125
 74
 389
 700
 1,748


 Highland 
 30
 34
 4
 0
 18
 70
 156


 Lanarkshire
 61
 67
 43
 20
 24
 161
 376


 Lothian 
 134
 156
 68
 5
 299
 335
 997


 NHS Education for Scotland
 Nil
 Nil
 1
 0
 0
 375
 376


 Orkney 
 Nil
 Nil
 0
 0
 0
 5
 5


 Shetland 
 1
 2
 0
 0
 0
 7
 10


 Tayside 
 93
 93
 17
 30
 153
 230
 616


 Western Isles 
 2
 4
 1
 0
 0
 3
 10


 Total
 804
 739
 342
 174
 1,106
 2,458
 5,623



  The majority of these doctors will hold short-term employment contracts. STRs have a training agreement for a longer term which is fulfilled by a series of shorter term contracts.

NHS Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many junior doctors are employed on contracts for a period of one year or longer, broken down by NHS board and grade.

Nicola Sturgeon: Junior doctors hold a training agreement with NES for their seven or eight year training programme, but because they work in different Boards during training, they are employed on a series of short-term employment contracts by each of the boards they work for during the training period.

  Foundation Year doctors are employed on four month contracts, LATs/FTSTAs and STs on one year contracts. SPRs are variable but longer than one year.

  The following figures have been provided by NHS Education for Scotland (NES):

  

 Board
 FY1
 FY2
 FTSTA
 LAT
 SpR
 StR
 Total


 Ayrshire and Arran
 38
 46
 15
 14
 16
 103
 232


 Borders 
 15
 8
 4
 0
 7
 39
 73


 Common Services Agency
 Nil
 Nil
 0
 0
 2
 0
 2


 Dumfries and Galloway
 18
 18
 8
 7
 0
 42
 93


 Fife 
 37
 22
 19
 0
 26
 98
 202


 Forth Valley 
 42
 30
 15
 13
 13
 72
 185


 Grampian 
 102
 30
 22
 11
 159
 218
 542


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 231
 229
 125
 74
 389
 700
 1748


 Highland 
 30
 34
 4
 0
 18
 70
 156


 Lanarkshire
 61
 67
 43
 20
 24
 161
 376


 Lothian 
 134
 156
 68
 5
 299
 335
 997


 NHS Education for Scotland
 Nil
 Nil
 1
 0
 0
 375
 376


 Orkney 
 Nil
 Nil
 0
 0
 0
 5
 5


 Shetland 
 1
 2
 0
 0
 0
 7
 10


 Tayside 
 93
 93
 17
 30
 153
 230
 616


 Western Isles 
 2
 4
 1
 0
 0
 3
 10


 Total
 804
 739
 342
 174
 1106
 2458
 5623



  The majority of these doctors will hold short term employment contracts. STRs have a training agreement for a longer term which is fulfilled by a series of shorter term contracts.

NHS Staff

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the figures for suspensions and special leave in the health service, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not request information from NHS boards on the numbers of staff or details of staff taking special leave as this is an issue for the board as the employer. In addition, we do not request information on staff who have or are suspended as again this is an issue for the board as an employer. Therefore this information is not held centrally.

  It should be noted that special leave includes carers, bereavement and compassionate leave as well as suspensions.

  Each board will decide how they record such data in accordance with the local policy.

National Health Service

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that the reduction in VAT announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 November 2008 will save NHS Scotland between 1 December 2008 and 31 December 2009, also broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are a number of changes to the VAT rules that impact on NHS Scotland beyond the temporary savings resulting from the reduction to the standard rate of VAT. It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the overall impact resulting from these changes. For example, changes to the rules in respect of some services procured by NHS bodies will lead to permanent increases in VAT payments on an annual basis. The Scottish Government is contacting HM Treasury to press for recompense resulting from the loss of funding relating to this change. At this stage, it is not possible to determine the response of HM Treasury and therefore we cannot accurately estimate the total level of VAT payments of NHS Scotland.

Parkinson's Disease

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS boards regarding the provision of specialist Parkinson’s disease nurses.

Shona Robison: The planning of the workforce, including Specialist Parkinson’s Disease Nurses, is a matter for NHS boards who are responsible for planning services in their area based on clinical need.

  In doing so they are required to consider the role of both specialist nurses and nurses with a broader remit working in the community, as part of their plans to make sure that services meet the needs of people living with long-term conditions.

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) has been consulting on draft generic and specific standards applicable for Neurological Health Services, including Parkinson’s disease. The publication of the standards is likely to take place in summer 2009, and NHS boards across Scotland will be expected to comply with both generic and the specific standards drafted by NHS QIS.

Parliamentary Questions

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an estimate of the range of the financial cost of answering parliamentary questions, from simple to complex.

Bruce Crawford: The information requested is not held.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17445 on 10 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Parliamentary Questions

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the financial limit is beyond which it considers that the cost for answering a written parliamentary question would be disproportionate.

Bruce Crawford: The disproportionate cost limit is currently set at £600.

Parliamentary Questions

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy towards written parliamentary questions is and whether there has been any change since May 2007.

Bruce Crawford: There has been no change in policy since May 2007. The Scottish Government has a process in place, as required by Standing Orders, that aims to answer written parliamentary questions within 10 counting days (20 during recess). When replying to questions the Scottish Government provides as full and as helpful answers as possible.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the functions are of the new Major Crime and Terrorism Investigation Unit.

Kenny MacAskill: The Major Crime and Terrorism Investigation Unit was set up by Strathclyde Police to maximise the effectiveness of the force’s response to serious and organised crime, including terrorism, in line with the force’s Strategic Assessment and Control Strategy Priorities. Its functions are an operational matter for the chief constable.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding has been provided for the new Major Crime and Terrorism Investigation Unit and, if so, how much.

Kenny MacAskill: This unit has been funded by Strathclyde Police from within existing resources.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the set up costs were for the new Crime and Terrorism Investigation Unit; how much it expects the unit will cost to run, and from which budget or budgets the funding will be drawn.

Kenny MacAskill: The unit has been set up and funded by Strathclyde Police from within its existing resources. It is for the chief constable to determine the running costs and operation of the unit.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which police force or other organisation will be operationally responsible for the new Major Crime and Terrorism Investigation Unit.

Kenny MacAskill: Strathclyde Police.

Prison Service

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available for the families of prisoners.

Fergus Ewing: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service provides support for the families of prisoners in a number of ways. The majority of prisons in Scotland have Family Contact Development Officers who are an important point of contact for prisoners and their families and who are available to offer information and advice. The Scottish Prison Service also works positively with third sector partners in order to achieve the best possible outcomes for families affected by imprisonment and are currently undertaking a review of visit facilities across the estate.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that the reduction in VAT announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 November 2008 will save the Scottish Prison Service between 1 December 2008 and 31 December 2009, broken down by prison.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The actual saving will depend on the value of qualifying expenditure incurred by SPS during this period. Such information and the expenditure distribution by prison are not available. However, based on the expenditure profile during the current year, it is estimated that the reduction in VAT for this period will save the Scottish Prison Service around £3 to 4 million.

Prison Service

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the highest number of prisoners was in each prison in each of the last three months.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The following table illustrates the maximum daily population for each establishment in each of the last three months.

  

 Max of Actual Population Each Month
 Month


 October
 November
 December


 Aberdeen
 266
 252
 232


 Addiewell
 0
 0
 80


 Barlinnie
 1690
 1682
 1660


 Cornton Vale
 437
 428
 410


 Dumfries
 222
 220
 217


 Edinburgh
 902
 895
 875


 Glenochil Prison
 759
 753
 756


 Greenock
 346
 340
 340


 Inverness
 159
 163
 163


 Kilmarnock
 652
 651
 650


 Open Estate
 309
 313
 342


 Perth
 808
 800
 757


 Peterhead
 306
 306
 306


 Polmont
 718
 725
 710


 Shotts
 549
 549
 545

Prison Service

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which of the Scottish Prison Commission’s recommendations it considers to have been implemented.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government published on 17 December 2008 its plans to deliver a coherent offender management strategy Protecting Scotland’s Communities: Fair, Fast and Flexible Justice at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/12/16132605/0 .

  This plan includes the Scottish Government’s response to the work of the Scottish Prisons Commission.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that information on the mental health and wellbeing of offenders admitted to prison is provided to the Scottish Prison Service fully and timeously.

Kenny MacAskill: Prior to determining the most suitable method of dealing with an offender, under current legislation the court may make further enquiry into the offender’s physical or mental condition and background circumstances. Any reports furnished to court for these purposes are copied to the prison to coincide with the offender’s admission.

  Prisoners who are suffering from mental illness who cannot be managed in a prison setting may be transferred to hospital for treatment. Following transfer, prisoners may remain in hospital and be rehabilitated through the mental health system if appropriate If a prisoner is returned from hospital to prison, a Care Programme Approach meeting will be held prior to return to prison, which includes representatives from the Prison Health Centre, to develop a package of care for monitoring and managing the patient on return to prison.

  On occasions where prison health officials identify a potential gap in a medical history, contact may be made directly with the offender’s general practitioner.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps the Scottish Prison Service is taking to ensure that prisoners with literacy, communication or learning difficulties are identified at the time of admission.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18592 on 16 December 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the running costs of the Civil Recovery Unit were in each year since 2002.

Frank Mulholland QC: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18921 on 15 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service was of seizing cash and assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in each year since 2003.

Frank Mulholland QC: The Civil Recovery Unit acts on behalf of the Scottish ministers as the enforcement authority for Scotland under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Under those provisions, civil proceedings may be brought in the Court of Session for the recovery of property which has been obtained through crime. Civil proceedings may also be brought in the sheriff court for the forfeiture of cash which has been obtained through crime or which is intended for use in crime.

  The total annual running costs for the Civil Recovery Unit in each year since 2003, including all staff and case related costs, amount to:

  2003-04: £526,000

  2004-05: £1,149,000

  2005-06: £1,300,000

  2006-07: £1,043,000

  2007-08: £1,334,000.

  In 2003, the Criminal Confiscation Unit was responsible for the administration of restraint and criminal confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. That unit was merged with the Fraud and Specialist Services Unit in June 2004 to create the Financial Crime Unit. The Financial Crime Unit now forms part of the National Casework Division at Crown Office. National Casework Division now comprises of the Organised Crime Unit, Financial Crime Unit and the Proceeds of Crime Unit.

  Separate running costs in respect of the administration of restraint and criminal confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act are not available, as the Financial Crime Unit and now the National Casework Division have significant additional responsibilities, including, but not exclusively, the preparation and prosecution of serious and complex fraud, money laundering and organised crime cases. It is not possible to extract costs dedicated to the Proceeds of Crime Unit from the total running costs of the National Casework Division.

  The total annual running costs for the Criminal Confiscation Unit, Financial Crime Unit and National Casework Division in each year since 2003, including all staff and case related costs, amount to:

  2003-04: £559,000 (Criminal Confiscation Unit)

  2004-05 £1,372,000 (Financial Crime Unit)

  2005-06: £1,129,000 (Financial Crime Unit)

  2006-07: £1,462,000 (Financial Crime Unit/National Casework Division)

  2007-08: £1,756,000 (National Casework Division).

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what legal costs were incurred by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in pursuing cases under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in each year since 2003.

Frank Mulholland QC: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18921 on 15 January 2009. The answer provides details of the running costs of the National Casework Division and Civil Recovery Unit within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in each year since 2003. The running costs incorporate all case related costs, including legal costs such as court fees, Counsels’ fees, fees for the service of judicial documents and any other costs incurred in the preparation and conduct of proceedings.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been reclaimed from criminals through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in each year since 2003.

Frank Mulholland QC: The total sum which has been secured by Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in each year since 2003 amounts to:

  2003-04: £2,191,175

  2004-05: £2,348,846

  2005-06: £4,835,541

  2006-07: £6,120,955

  2007-08: £5,547,492

  1 April 2008 to 30 September 2008: £2,402,321.

  Preparation for and conduct of criminal confiscation proceedings is the responsibility of National Casework Division, Crown Office. Once a Confiscation Order has been made by the Court, it falls to be engathered by the Sheriff Clerk. The value of Confiscation Orders in each year since 2003 amount to:

  2003-04: £1,494,365

  2004-05: £1,347,599

  2005-06: £3,469,739

  2006-07: £4,424,313

  2007-08: £2,847,037

  1 April 2008 to 30 September 2008: £1,117,727.

  The sums recovered by the Civil Recovery Unit and remitted to the Scottish Consolidated Fund in each year since 2003 amount to:

  2003-04: £696,810

  2004-05: £1,001,247

  2005-06: £1,365,802

  2006-07: £1,696,642

  2007-08: £2,700,455

  1 April 2008 to 30 September 2008: £1,284,594.

Public Sector Staff

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedure is in place to ensure that neither it nor its agencies employ illegal immigrants and what changes there have been in these procedures since May 2007.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government and its agencies, covered by its Resourcing Policy, carries out pre-appointment checks for all staff employed either on permanent or fixed term contracts. These include nationality checks and where necessary asking prospective applicants to provide documentary evidence that they have the right to work in the UK.

  There have not been any changes in the way the Scottish Government handles applications specifically from foreign nationals since May 2007. However, in January 2008 tighter checks were put in place for all applicants, which require them to provide photographic ID, utility bills and more comprehensive information about their employment history.

Public Sector Staff

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its staff are seconded to the Improvement Service and vice versa.

John Swinney: Two core Scottish Government staff are seconded to the Improvement Service. One Improvement Service employee is on secondment to the Scottish Government.

Public Sector Staff

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff from local authorities are seconded to the Improvement Service.

John Swinney: This is a matter for the Improvement Service and individual local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.

Race Equality

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Audit Scotland report on the impact of the race equality duty on council services, what action the Scottish Government intends to take in light of comments from the chairperson of the Accounts Commission who suggests that the main focus of councils has been the development of policies and processes which, by themselves, do not meet the needs of minority ethnic communities.

Stewart Maxwell: It is not for the Scottish Government to comment on recommendations made by the Accounts Commission in relation to councils. Both the Scottish Government and councils are subject to the same public sector equality duties, however we do expect all public bodies to take their responsibilities under these duties seriously.

  The report recommends "the Scottish Government, working with key bodies, should ensure the availability to more up-to-date and useful social and demographic data on minority ethnic communities".

  The Scottish Government has work underway to improve the range and quality of equality information across the public sector. This work includes promoting the use of harmonised questions on equalities which will allow for comparison of data from different sources and will involve investigating the possibility of boosts to large scale social surveys.

Rail Network

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it considers should next be taken to secure delivery of the Leven to Thornton rail link.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19000 on 8 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Rail Network

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest cost of the Borders rail scheme is projected to be and whether it is appropriate to reconsider whether this represents value for money.

Stewart Stevenson: Exact costs cannot be disclosed as this would prejudice future commercial negotiations, however the project is estimated to cost £235 to £295 million (at quarter 4, 2012 prices). The significant level of benefits the project will deliver has been assessed against the costs in the Business Case, calculating a positive Benefit to Cost Ratio of 1.44.

Renewable Energy

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the recommendations in Economic Research Findings: The Economic Impacts of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism, published in March 2008, it considers that certain areas should be protected from wind farm developments due to their scenic attributes.

Jim Mather: In the light of the study’s findings, Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6 Annex 2 now recommends that planning authorities should consider tourism and recreational issues when processing applications from developers.

  The government believes that Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6 Renewable Energy provides a sound national policy context for addressing onshore wind farm development and the protection of Scotland’s natural heritage. It says that significant protection should be afforded to areas designated for their regional, national or international natural heritage value, for example National Parks and National Scenic Areas, through planning authorities’ spatial frameworks for wind farms over 20 megawatts and says that the integrity of such areas should not be compromised. The SPP also identifies impacts on the landscape as an issue for assessing applications and this is part of the Environmental Impact Assessment process.

  One of the key conclusions of the Economic Impact of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism was that government policy to pursue growth in the use of renewables was not incompatible with policy to encourage growth in tourism revenues.

Renewable Energy

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the recommendations in Economic Research Findings: The Economic Impacts of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism, published in March 2008, it considers that certain areas should be designated green centres of renewable energy.

Jim Mather: We are supportive of efforts to attract visitors to areas where renewable energy projects are sited, such as the pumped storage hydro scheme at Cruachan, and Whitelee wind farm. It is for tourist organisations to consider whether areas with a number of renewables developments offer marketing opportunities, and the government will happily work with them on promotional activity should any such further opportunities arise.

Residential Care

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff of residential homes and schools are suspended, broken down by suspension of (a) up to six months, (b) over six months to one year, (c) over one year to two years and (d) over two years.

Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally.

Roads

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many snow ploughs and gritters are available to keep trunk roads open in the event of severe snow conditions and what change in those numbers there has been since May 2007.

Stewart Stevenson: There are currently 276 snow ploughs and gritters available for winter maintenance of trunk roads, motorways and special roads in Scotland, as against 280 in May 2007. The change in numbers is mainly due to modernisation of the fleet and does not affect service delivery.

Rural Affairs

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to set occupational standards for or establish a register of gamekeepers.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government intends to give legal status to a new land management industry accreditation scheme. The aim will be that, within a fixed period, everyone who works as a gamekeeper will require to have received training in best practice and in the law.

Rural Development

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been made under the competitive elements of the Scotland Rural Development Programme in the last year, broken down by (a) SGRPID office area, (b) type of scheme and (c) month.

Richard Lochhead: The Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) 2007-2013 has eight delivery mechanisms. These are:

  Crofting Counties Agricultural Grant Scheme

  Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation Grant Scheme

  Forestry Commission Challenge Funds

  The LEADER initiative

  Less Favoured Area Support Scheme

  Rural Development Contracts – Land Manager Options

  Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities

  Skills Development Scheme.

  The only competitive element administered by SGRPID Area Offices is Rural Development Contract – Rural Priorities (RDC-RP). I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18805 on 15 January 2009 which details the monthly submission statistics for applications to Rural Priorities and the number of applications received per RPAC region. The written answer also explains the scheme is administered using 11 RPAC regions therefore the statistics available are based on these RPAC regions.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Rural Development

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is assisting farmers and crofters with the online application only process for gaining approval for Rural Priorities projects.

Richard Lochhead: Rural Priorities can only be applied for on-line and one of the main advantages of this is that it helps guide people to the information that is relevant to their particular situation, thereby making it more straightforward to complete. The Scottish Government recognise that this may present some difficulties for some applicants, and for this reason is continuing to work actively to provide assistance for potential applicants. A series of workshops and surgeries have been held by SEARS staff and organisations such as NFUS to provide an introduction to Rural Priorities and further workshops may be undertaken if local demand is sufficient.

  Further assistance available includes:

  Identifying liaison officers in every region to develop local solutions to internet access;

  Working with BT to extend broadband coverage across rural Scotland;

  Providing IT helpdesk to assist with login problems;

  Providing applicants with information about alternative local internet access points;

  Providing training material to NFUS for use in one to one surgeries across the country, and

  Part-funding for applicants who choose to use agents services.

  We take concerns very seriously and these will be taken account in my recently announced review of the Rural Priorities mechanism.

Rural Development

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers the statement of intent process under the Scotland Rural Development Programme to be working effectively.

Richard Lochhead: The Statement of Intent is the first of a two stage application process to the Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities. The statement of intent allows applicants to register their interest in Rural Priorities and give an outline of their ideas under the scheme. Case officers use the statement of intent to give feedback on the suitability of these ideas based on the regional priorities, and detail any financial constraint or negative impacts evident.

  On that basis, the statement of intent is working effectively. The statement of intent allows an applicant, before committing significant expenditure or personal time, to make an informed choice before progressing to the second stage of the application process, full proposal.

  The effectiveness of the statement of intent will be one of the areas considered in the upcoming review of the Scottish Rural Development Programme.

Rural Development

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the Scotland Rural Development Programme is earmarked to support new forest planting and how much has been spent in each year since the programme started.

Michael Russell: Individual measures within SRDP are not ring-fenced but do give an indicative estimate of expected expenditure. The seven year programme estimates £175 million for woodland creation. As regards expenditure since the Programme started, £19.2 million was spent in 2007-08, and £9.9 million has been spent so far in the current year.

Rural Development

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy is to transfer Scotland Rural Development Programme funds from the south of Scotland to Argyll and the west of Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: The Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) is designed to support all those who engage in agricultural activity in Scotland. There are no regional budgets within the Programme and hence transfers do not occur between regions of Scotland. Support to land managers is mainly delivered by the SRDP through Land Managers’ Options (LMOs) and Rural Priorities (RPs). LMOs is non-competitive and payable to all those who are eligible and apply for support. Rural Priorities is competitive and support will be offered to those who are eligible and best able to deliver Scottish Government outcomes.

Rural Development

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy is to transfer Scotland Rural Development Programme funds from productive farming areas to support people in less productive areas.

Richard Lochhead: The Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) does not involve transfers between productive farming areas. Disadvantaged areas of Scotland are eligible to receive Less Favoured Area Support through the programme. Other support through the SRDP available to land managers is mainly delivered through Land Managers’ Options (LMOs) and Rural Priorities (RPs). LMOs is non-competitive and payable to all those who are eligible and apply for support. RPs is competitive and support will be offered to those who are eligible and best able to deliver Scottish Government outcomes.

Rural Development

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been received for rural development contracts for organic production in each of the 11 Scotland Rural Development Programme regions.

Richard Lochhead: The following table shows a breakdown by region of both how many applications for organic production have been submitted to the Rural Priorities scheme, under the Scotland Rural Development Programme and how many of these have been approved. In total, 69 cases have applied of which 61 have been approved.

  

 
 Applied
 Approved


 Argyll
 4
 3


 Ayrshire
 0
 0


 Borders
 9
 9


 Clyde
 2
 2


 Dumfries and Galloway
 2
 1


 Forth
 3
 2


 Grampian
 20
 15


 Highland
 10
 10


 Northern Isles
 8
 8


 Outer Hebrides
 0
 0


 Tayside
 11
 11


 Total
 69
 61

Rural Development

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applicants have successfully entered into rural development contracts for organic production in each of the 11 Scotland Rural Development Programme regions.

Richard Lochhead: The following table shows a breakdown by region of both how many applications for organic production have been submitted to the Rural Priorities scheme, under the Scotland Rural Development Programme and how many of these have been approved. In total, 69 cases have applied of which 61 have been approved.

  Formal contract documentation is due to be issued to successful applicants shortly.

  

 
 Applied
 Approved


 Argyll
 4
 3


 Ayrshire
 0
 0


 Borders
 9
 9


 Clyde
 2
 2


 Dumfries and Galloway
 2
 1


 Forth
 3
 2


 Grampian
 20
 15


 Highland
 10
 10


 Northern Isles
 8
 8


 Outer Hebrides
 0
 0


 Tayside
 11
 11


 Total
 69
 61

Schools

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it is doing enough to tackle indiscipline in schools.

Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government is tackling indiscipline in Scottish schools in a variety of ways. We are committed to helping create peaceful and positive learning environments and are working with local Government and key stakeholders to develop guidance and support local authorities to introduce effective approaches to dealing with indiscipline in schools.

  The Scottish Government provides funding of £500,000 per annum to fund the Positive Behaviours Team who deliver free training and advice to schools in a range of practices which improve relationships and promote positive behaviour.

Scottish Futures Trust

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects to convert the Scottish Futures Trust into a non-departmental body and, if so, when this will take place.

John Swinney: There are no intentions to change the status of the Scottish Futures Trust.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18112 on 3 December 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Scottish Government Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which banks operate accounts for it and whether it has changed any of the banks that it has used since May 2007.

John Swinney: The Scottish Executive’s main bank account is held at HM Office of Paymaster General. The Executive also maintains commercial bank accounts at both the Bank of Scotland and Halifax Bank of Scotland. There has been no change in the banking arrangements since May 2007.

Scottish Government Procurement

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many officials it provides credit cards to for payment of official expenses and purchases and what it estimates the total amount outstanding on all such cards to be.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government uses the Government Procurement Card (GPC), a branded Visa Purchasing Card that enables Public Sector buyers to benefit from cost and process efficiency savings in their purchasing of high-volume, lower-value goods and services (generally below £5,000 per transaction), and allows suppliers to benefit by being paid a few days (three-four days) after despatching the goods/delivering the services.

  The procurement cards are provided to the UK Public Sector through a UK Framework Agreement between OGCbuying.solutions, Visa and six Visa issuing banks. Our GPC contract is with Barclaycard. It covers the core Directorates and the Executive Agencies and other bodies that use our finance system.

  The GPC Framework Agreement also covers a separate travel and subsistence (T&S) card which is issued to those members of staff who frequently incur travel and accommodation costs whilst on business.

  There are currently 1,122 GPC’s and 346 T&S cards in use across all organisations that use the Scottish Government contract.

  Barclaycard submits a monthly statement for payment and this is paid in full within 14 days of receipt of the statement in line with the terms of the contract. Currently there is nothing due to pay. The level of expenditure incurred using the GPC and T&S cards varies from month to month but, as an indication, the average monthly balance on the statements is £609,000.

Scottish Government Staff

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18587 by John Swinney on 12 December 2008, how many senior civil servants have registered financial interests on the e-HR self-referral IT facility.

John Swinney: As of 13 January 2008 five Senior Civil Servants have recorded financial interests on the e-HR self-referral IT facility.

Scottish Government Staff

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many senior civil servants there are in the Scottish Government.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18838 on 14 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Scottish Government Staff

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and which of its or its agencies’ senior officials are on sabbatical leave and what the nature of the sabbatical leave is.

John Swinney: There are currently three Scottish Government Senior Civil Servants on either domestic career break or special leave.

Scottish Improvement Service

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has contributed to the Improvement Service since 2003-04.

John Swinney: The Improvement Service was set up in 2005. From 2005-06 to 2007-08 the Scottish Government provided £4.5 million in core funding. From 2008-09, this funding has been transferred to local government. The Scottish Government also provided £5.7 million for specific projects between 2005-06 and 2007-08, and has awarded funds of up to £1.6 million for 2008-09. Projects funded in this way include Customer First, Shared Services and the Planning Development Programme. Further details of these projects can be found on the Improvement Service website http://www.improvementservice.org.uk/ .

Scottish Improvement Service

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the nature of its relationship is with the Improvement Service.

John Swinney: The Improvement Service (IS) exists to support local authorities in their drive towards continuous improvement in service delivery. It was set up as a company limited by guarantee in 2005 by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) and Scottish ministers. As part of the concordat between the Scottish Government and COSLA, it was agreed that the IS would be governed wholly by local government, through COSLA and SOLACE. Scottish ministers therefore withdrew from the company. The IS was funded directly by the Scottish Government for the first three years; from 2008-09 core funding has been transferred to local government and is included within the total funding package. The Scottish Government still provides funds for delivery of specific services.

Scottish Law Commission

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what issues it has referred to the Scots Law Commission since May 2007.

Kenny MacAskill: One reference has been made to the Scottish Law Commission since May 2007, in November 2007. Ministers invited the Commission to consider the law relating to Rights of Appeal, Double Jeopardy and Evidential Questions. The Scottish Law Commission is dealing with the reference as three separate projects. Its Report on Crown Appeals was published in July 2008. The Double Jeopardy report is expected later in 2009 with the report on the other matters in 2010 or 2011.

Sex Offenders

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive against what criteria sex offenders are assessed for suitability for participation in the Sex Offender Treatment Programme.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The following process and issues are covered during the selection process for Sex Offender Treatment Programmes (SOTPs).

  An initial interview is conducted to assess the following issues along with a review of available relevant information, including any existing risk assessments (i.e. Stable and Acute 2007 [SA07]):

  An examination of criminogenic need;

  An assessment of intellectual functioning;

  An assessment of social functioning;

  An assessment of generic Exclusion Criteria;

  Low IQ;

  Those suffering from current mental illness, and

  Those suffering from mental illness/brain damage at the time of the offence.

  An assessment of Readiness Criteria (exclusions) including:

  Total denial

  Refusal of treatment

  Poor literacy

  Physical disability.

Sex Offenders

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-17224 by Kenny MacAskill on 5 November 2008, when information on the proportion of convicted sex offenders in receipt of alternative treatment will be made available.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  This information will be available shortly. I will write to the Member with further details.

Small Businesses

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13141 by John Swinney on 27 May 2008, whether it can now provide details on what the uptake has been of the Small Business Bonus Scheme, expressed as a percentage of eligible businesses and broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) discount band.

John Swinney: As a result of expanded coverage and improved data collection and validation procedures, figures showing the uptake under the Small Business Bonus Scheme are now expected to be published in February 2009.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates that the level of graduate debt repayment will be for each of the next seven years.

Fiona Hyslop: The level of graduate debt repayment is expected to increase by £10 million per annum from 2008-09. The budgeted debt repayments for 2008-09 are £56 million compared with budgeted student loan issues of £180.3 million and student loan subsidy costs of £71.4 million.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual spend on the Young Students’ Bursary has been since its inception.

Fiona Hyslop: These statistics have been published for the years 2002-03 to 2007-08 in table 8 of Higher Education Student Support in Scotland 2007-08 available on the internet at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/11/21111027/0.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students would benefit from increased student support under option 1b in its Supporting a Smarter Scotland consultation paper, broken down by income and amount provided in each income decile.

Fiona Hyslop: The consultation paper gives a number of principal options for investing £30 million. Option 1b suggests extending young students’ bursaries to more of the 23,315 independent students. The details of the policy, including number of students benefiting and the amount provided in each income category, will be developed following consideration of the consultation responses.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students would benefit from increased student support under option 2 in its Supporting a Smarter Scotland consultation paper, broken down by income and amount provided in each income decile.

Fiona Hyslop: Option 2 of the consultation paper suggests an increase of the minimum income available. An investment of £30 million could for example provide for an increase to a level of £5,500 for those from the lowest incomes. The details of the policy, including the number of students and the amount of support provided in each income category, will be developed following consideration of the consultation responses.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students would benefit from increased student support under option 3 in its Supporting a Smarter Scotland Consultation paper, broken down by income.

Fiona Hyslop: Option 3 of the consultation paper suggests a hybrid of options 1 and 2. The details of the policy will be developed following consideration of the consultation responses.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what legislative action will be required to implement each of the options in its Supporting a Smarter Scotland consultation paper.

Fiona Hyslop: No legislative action would be required to implement Option 1, 2 or 3, but given the consultation is seeking the widest views possible, some respondents may suggest different changes to the student support system which would have legislative implications.

Student Loans

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to increase the levels of student loans.

Fiona Hyslop: There are no legal restrictions in either primary or secondary legislation on the maximum amount of student loans which the Scottish ministers may award to students in higher education.

  Increasing the levels of student loans would have budgetary implications which would have to be discussed more with HM Treasury. However, this is not Scottish Government policy.

Taxation

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much NHS Grampian will save in 2009-10 as a consequence of the reduction in VAT announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 November 2008.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are a number of changes in the VAT rules beyond the temporary savings resulting from the reduction to the standard rate of VAT affecting NHS Grampian. It is therefore not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the total level of VAT payments – and therefore the overall impact for – NHS Grampian.

Taxation

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that the reduction in VAT announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 November 2008 will save local authorities between 1 December 2008 and 31 December 2009 and whether that amount was taken into account in the announcement on the local government settlement made by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 10 December 2008.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has made no estimation of the savings to local authorities as a result of the reduction in VAT nor did we take the reduction of VAT into account in the calculation of the 2009-10 local government finance settlement. Section 33 of the Value Added Tax Act 1994 provides all local authorities with the power to recover VAT incurred from supplies of goods and services received so any savings to Scotland’s local authorities would be at the margins.

Tourism

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been undertaken to (a) improve Scotland and (b) market its potential as an accessible tourist destination both at home and abroad.

Jim Mather: VisitScotland is committed to the marketing of Scotland, at home and abroad, as a quality, value for money destination for all. Their marketing strategy is based on sophisticated research, through which they segment their marketing activity and target consumers according to the age, gender, income and lifestyle of potential visitors. They take those people with disabilities into consideration in their activities, to ensure that Scotland is also promoted as an accessible tourism destination.

  As part of continuous improvement, VisitScotland and the tourism industry are exploring ways to:

  attract more disabled visitors to Scotland;

  extend the range and quality of information on accessibility to accommodation and tourism facilities;

  gain better information about the experience of disabled visitors, and

  record the numbers of employed disabled people and ensure they are equitably treated.

  Examples of these activities are: the VisitScotland Disability Equality Scheme, publications for the visually-impaired, e-marketing activities, Quality Assurance scheme for those with impaired mobility.

Voluntary Sector

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) was factored into the estimated funding for community partnerships in the concordat between the Scottish Government and COSLA and, if not, whether it is concerned at the possibility that the work of RSVP may cease in most local authority areas.

John Swinney: The current funding provided to the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme run by Community Service Volunteers (CSV) is a project grant offered for three years and due to come to a natural conclusion in March 2009.

  We are working with CSV to alert Scottish local authorities and community planning partnerships to the opportunities offered by RSVP and to identify where they could contribute to local outcomes.

  We are committed to ensuring that volunteering, for all age groups, across Scotland is supported including through our support for the national volunteer centre network.

Waste Management

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information is made available to it and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency regarding waste types and arisings and how this information is used.

Richard Lochhead: The main mechanism used for the collection of waste data from local authorities is the waste data flow system. This is a web-based system used by all local authorities in Scotland to report their waste arisings, recycling levels and disposal. The system is also used to monitor the quantity of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled under the Landfill Allowance Scheme. In addition, waste data is collected from other sources including waste management licence operator returns, the register of exemptions and supplementary surveys. the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) have overall responsibility for the collation and management of all data collected.

  The waste data gathered is used in various ways. For example, SEPA use it to produce publications such as the Waste Data Digest, which is an annual publication that sets out key waste facts and trends. The data is also used for target setting, performance and compliance monitoring, meeting reporting requirements and of course policy development. Further information on how the data is used can be found on SEPA’s website.

Waste Management

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to place an obligation on local authorities to provide recycling services for business waste.

Richard Lochhead: Under the terms of the concordat it is the responsibility of individual local authorities to determine how best to manage any business waste collected. Accordingly, we do not intend to place an obligation on local authorities to provide recycling services for business waste. The Scottish Government does however encourage local authorities to recycle business waste whenever possible.

  It should of course be remembered that facilities already exist in a number of local authority areas to allow businesses to recycle their waste, and the Waste Aware Scotland Website has an excellent search facility to allow businesses to locate recycling facilities in their area. Additionally, Waste Aware Scotland are running a Waste Aware Business Campaign that aims to raise awareness of how businesses can deal with their waste more sustainably.

Waste Management

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the EU waste framework directive agreed on 20 October 2008 will have on national waste management policy.

Richard Lochhead: The new National Waste Plan for Scotland is currently being prepared for consultation and will take full account of the revised EU Waste Framework Directive.

Waste Management

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the EU waste framework directive agreed on 20 October 2008 will have on local authorities’ waste management policies.

Richard Lochhead: Local authorities will be obliged to develop waste management policies in accordance with the revised EU Waste Framework Directive. Local authorities will be involved in the development of the new National Waste Plan for Scotland and, within the constraints of that plan and the strategic outcomes agreed with Scottish Government, it will be for local authorities themselves to devise their own policies in accordance with the revised Directive.

Waste Management

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to issue guidance to local authorities on the agreements and targets set in the EU waste framework directive of 20 October 2008.

Richard Lochhead: The new National Waste Plan for Scotland will perform this function.

Waste Management

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that local authorities should classify energy recovery from waste as recycling.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government do not believe that energy from waste should be classified as recycling. This view is in line with Article 3 of the revised Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC which defines recycling as meaning:

  "any recovery operation by which waste materials are reprocessed into products, materials or substances whether for the original or other purposes. It includes the reprocessing of organic material but does not include energy recovery and the reprocessing into materials that are to be used as fuels or for backfilling operations".

Waste Management

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, as a result of the EU waste framework directive of 20 October 2008, local authorities will be required to differentiate between re-use, recycling and recovery, including energy recovery, in developing waste management policies.

Richard Lochhead: The revised EU Waste Framework Directive does attribute different definitions to these terms, so local authorities will need to take account of these definitions when developing their plans for management of waste. However, it should be noted that these definitions are consistent with current Scottish Government policy and delivery of Zero Waste Scotland, so there should be no need to do anything differently.

Waste Management

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, as a result of the EU waste framework directive of 20 October 2008, local authorities will be required to report separately on waste that is re-used, recycled or recovered, including energy recovered.

Richard Lochhead: Local authorities currently provide waste data returns to Scottish Environment Protection Agency that cover waste recycling, composting, other recovery and disposal operations and we would not expect that to change as a result of the revised EU Waste Framework Directive. Re-use activities are not currently reported separately, and the revised Waste Framework Directive provisions do not place any new requirement on member states to do so. Nevertheless, we will consider wider reporting needs and requirements as part of the review of the National Waste Plan.

Waste Management

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18374 by Richard Lochhead on 9 December 2008, whether it will list the projects that have been awarded funding from the Zero Waste Fund for 2008-09 and how much each project received.

Richard Lochhead: The 2008-09 Zero Waste Fund has been allocated as follows:

  

 Zero Waste Fund 2008-09
Profiled Expenditure (£ Million Rounded)


 Delivery Bodies
 


 WRAP - Waste and Resources Action Programme
 8.81


 Envirowise
 2.80


 SWAG - Scottish Waste Awareness Group
 1.87


 CRNS - Community Recycling Network for Scotland
 0.76


 ReMaDe - Recyclate Market Development
 0.59


 KSB - Keep Scotland Beautiful
 0.50


 Eco Schools
 0.20


 KIMO - Fishing for Litter
 0.05


 ROWAN - Rossshire Waste Action Network
 0.03


 Local Authority Initiatives
 


 Food Waste Collection Trials
 0.60


 Former Strategic Waste Fund Awards Accrued to 2008-09 - Recycling and Composting
 4.18


 Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Recovery
 0.11


 Contaminated Land
 3.10


 Zero Waste Fund Transfers to Tackle Landfill Diversion
 16.74


 Central Initiatives
 


 National Recycling Campaign Development
 0.25


 Zero Waste Think Tank
 0.01


 Radioactive Waste Programme
 0.08


 National Waste Plan Review
 0.12


 Carrier Bag Campaign
 0.25


 Flycapture Monitoring System
 0.03


 Climate Change Bill - Waste Provisions
 0.01


 Waste Data Flow System
 0.01


 Total (£ million)
 41.1

Waste Management

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce a national policy on the dumping of treated sewerage.

Richard Lochhead: Dumping of sewage sludge is illegal. Sewage sludge may be legally disposed of to landfill or by incineration, or recovered, notably to land. In any of these cases, regulatory requirements apply.

  The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce a national policy on the use of treated sewage.

  In May 2008, Scottish Water published its own National Sludge Strategy which identifies the organisation’s long term strategy for the management of sludge in Scotland. The Executive Summary of this document may be found at the following link:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/rae/papers-08/rup08-18.pdf.

Waste Management

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce guidelines on the permitted quantities of treated sewerage that can be dumped.

Richard Lochhead: There are parameters in the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994, as amended, however as the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is Scotland’s environmental regulator, the issuing of any guidelines on the limits would be a matter for SEPA.

Waste Management

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive where treated sewerage has been dumped in Scotland in the last 10 years.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not produce or treat sewage sludge, or regulate its disposal or recovery. Accordingly, information on exact locations where this disposal or recovery has taken place is not held centrally. This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency or Scottish Water.

  Statistics on the amount of sewage sludge recovered/disposed of in Scotland in each of the last four years are available on the Scottish Government website at the following link:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Environment/seso/sesoSubSearch/Q/SID/198.

  Please note that the figures for 2004-05 and 2005-06 indicate "post-digestion" sludge quantities. From 2006-07 onwards "pre-digestion" sludge results were reported, therefore the data from these different time periods is not comparable.

Wildlife

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends that Snaring in Scotland: A Practitioners’ Guide , produced by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Scottish Gamekeepers Association and British Association for Shooting and Conservation (Scotland) and formally endorsed by the Scottish Government, should form the basis of the proposed new regulations for snaring.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the legislation, regulation and guidance sub-group of the Partnership Against Wildlife Crime Scotland will be assisted in formulating regulations for snaring by the Scottish Government’s recent endorsement of Snaring in Scotland: A Practitioners’ Guide , produced by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Scottish Gamekeepers Association and British Association for Shooting and Conservation (Scotland).

Michael Russell: Snaring in Scotland: A Practitioners’ Guide will be considered and taken into account by the PAW Legislation sub-group when considering its recommendations about legislation relating to snaring.

Wildlife

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce primary legislation to create a specific offence of interfering with a legally-set snare, in light of the Minister for Environment’s statement to the Parliament on 20 February 2008 ( Official Report c. 6079) and the publication of Snaring in Scotland: A Practitioners’ Guide , produced by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Scottish Gamekeepers Association and British Association for Shooting and Conservation (Scotland).

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Scots law concerning vandalism and malicious mischief is sufficient to deal with a person who interferes with a legally-set snare.

Michael Russell: A person interfering with a legally set snare might be committing one of a number of possible offences under existing legislation. If the opportunity arises to bring forward primary legislation on this matter Ministers would give consideration to the creation of a new statutory offence of tampering with a lawfully set snare.

Wildlife Crime

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the number of reported incidents against wild birds is for (a) illegal egg collecting, (b) illegal trapping, (c) illegal poisoning and (d) illegally-set baits in each year for which information is available since 1989.

Fergus Ewing: The following table includes offences recorded since 1989 for incidents relating to wild birds. It should be noted that the crime codes "Cruelty to Wild Animals" and "Other Wildlife Offences" do not solely represent the number of offences against wild birds as they also include a number of offences related to other wild animals. This is the lowest level at which information is collected. As such, it is not possible to answer the question exactly. The rise in the number of offences recorded under the "Cruelty to Wild Animals" and "Other Wildlife Offences" crimes codes since 2005-06 is the result of single offenders committing multiple offences in the years in question.

  Offences Recorded Against Wild Animals (Including Wild Birds), 1989 to 2007-081

  

 Year 
 Offences Involving Birds2
 Cruelty to Wild Animals3
 Other Wildlife Offences4
 Total


 1989
 34
 -
 -
 34


 1990
 80
 -
 -
 80


 1991
 24
 -
 -
 24


 1992
 26
 -
 -
 26


 1993
 42
 -
 -
 42


 1994
 46
 -
 -
 46


 1995-96
 90
 -
 -
 90


 1996-97
 34
 -
 -
 34


 1997-98
 52
 -
 -
 52


 1998-99
 63
 -
 -
 63


 1999-2000
 62
 -
 -
 62


 2000-01
 22
 -
 -
 22


 2001-02
 48
 -
 -
 48


 2002-03
 88
 1
 0
 89


 2003-04
 85
 1
 1
 87


 2004-05
 78
 2
 0
 80


 2005-06
 92
 10
 53
 155


 2006-07
 117
 31
 23
 171


 200708
 64
 20
 45
 129



  Notes:

  1. Financial year information is not available before 1995.

  2. Includes offences relating to wild birds, their nests and eggs.

  3. Includes the illegal trapping, poisoning and setting of baits for wild birds, amongst other offences.

  4. Includes the possession and sale of eggs taken from wild birds, amongst other offences.

  The statistics dealing with recorded crime and court proceedings are not directly comparable as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime involving more than one victim and there is the possibility that the crime recorded by the police may be altered in the course of judicial proceedings. Also a crime may be recorded by the police in one year and court proceedings concluded in a subsequent year.

Wildlife Crime

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to courts and procurators fiscal on issues of persecution of wildlife.

Frank Mulholland: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has established a network of specialist wildlife prosecutors across its 11 operational areas in Scotland.

  These specialist prosecutors will normally receive and prepare relevant cases, as well as prosecuting them in court. Specialist wildlife prosecutors are provided with appropriate guidance material, and also training and development opportunities, to equip them to carry out their duties effectively. In common with other guidance provided to procurators fiscal on the prosecution of crime, its detail are confidential because the publication of such information would allow offenders to attempt to circumvent the law by restricting their offending to conduct which falls short of a prosecution threshold.

  Both the Lord Advocate and I accepted the recommendations of the "Natural Justice" Report following the joint thematic inspection of the arrangements in Scotland for preventing, investigating and prosecuting wildlife crime by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland (HMICS) and the Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (IPS) in so far as these relate to COPFS. One of the recommendations is that COPFS should "carry out a training needs assessment for specialist wildlife prosecutors and provide a suitable training package for both newly appointed specialists and on-going training." That training needs assessment is underway. In addition, COPFS officials are working closely with Scottish Government, police, and other colleagues to support the development of the Scottish Partnership Against Wildlife Crime (PAW (Scotland) sub-groups recommended by the review team, most notably the Training and Awareness sub-group and also the Legislation, Regulation & Guidance sub-group.

  Training for the judiciary is promoted by the Judicial Studies Committee and not by COPFS.

Wildlife Crime

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how intelligence held by the National Wildlife Crime Unit is shared with police forces in Scotland and more widely.

Michael Russell: The National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) gathers, processes and redistributes intelligence according to the principles outlined in the National Intelligence Model. This model allows police forces, and their support units such as the NWCU, to gather intelligence across more than one force, analyse it and then use it to inform decisions.

Wind Farms

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it expects from the planned Gordonbush wind farm on the number of golden plovers.

Jim Mather: In considering the Gordonbush wind farm application, Scottish Ministers, as the competent authority, undertook an appropriate assessment of the development’s impacts on the integrity of the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands Special Protection Area (SPA), which included the impacts on Golden Plover which is one of the qualifying interests of the SPA. The appropriate assessment was published when the application was consented and can be found on the Scottish Government website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/Energy-Consents/Applications-Database/Wind/Gordon-Bush-Index/Gordon-Bush-App-Asses.

Wind Farms

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to implement any of the recommendations in Economic Research Findings: The Economic Impacts of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism , published in March 2008.

Jim Mather: In the light of the study’s findings, Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6 Annex 2 now recommends that planning authorities should consider tourism and recreational issues when processing applications from developers.

  The Scottish Government believes that Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6 Renewable Energy provides a sound national policy context for addressing onshore wind farm development and the protection of Scotland’s natural heritage. It says that significant protection should be afforded to areas designated for their national or international natural heritage value, for example national parks and national scenic areas, through planning authorities’ spatial frameworks for wind farms over 20 megawatts and says that the integrity of such areas should not be compromised. The SPP also identifies impacts on the landscape as an issue for assessing applications and this is part of the environmental impact assessment process.

  Moreover, one of the key messages of The Economic Impact of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism report was that government policy to pursue growth in the use of renewables was not incompatible with policy to encourage growth in tourism revenues.

Wind Farms

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the recommendations in Economic Research Findings: The Economic Impacts of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism , published in March 2008, it considers that certain areas should be protected from wind farm developments due to their value to tourism.

Jim Mather: In the light of the study’s findings, Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6 recommends that as statutory consultees, planning authorities should consider tourism and recreational issues when processing any application for wind farm development.

  The Scottish Government believes that Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6 Renewable Energy provides a sound national policy context for addressing onshore wind farm development and the protection of Scotland’s natural heritage. It says that significant protection should be afforded to areas designated for their national or international natural heritage value, for example national parks and national scenic areas, through planning authorities’ spatial frameworks for wind farms over 20 megawatts and says that the integrity of such areas should not be compromised. The SPP also identifies impacts on the landscape as an issue for assessing applications and this is part of the environmental impact assessment process.

  One of the key messages of The Economic Impact of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism was that government policy to pursue growth in the use of renewables was not incompatible with policy to encourage growth in tourism revenues.